KENT, Ohio — Kent Police Lt. Mike Lewis is commending the actions of several middle school students following an incident at Stanton Middle School, where he said they overheard a 14-year-old student allegedly making direct threats to harm others.
Now, Lewis said there is something we can all learn from this situation.
“We are always very grateful when the students take our advice and when they see something, they say something, and they made the proper people aware, gave us the opportunity to investigate it,” said Lewis.
It's been nearly one week after Kent Police said a student allegedly planned to harm other students on Nov. 13, and business is still being carried on during Tuesday’s Kent City School District Board of Education meeting.
In the meantime, Lewis said that the student is paying for the consequences.
“He was charged with making terroristic threats, which is a 3rd degree felony if you're an adult, and also aggravated menacing because he made threats to cause serious or deadly harm to another person with a weapon,” said Lewis.
Although Lewis said officers did not find a gun, and a police report from Kent Police Department stated the suspect maintained that he did not talk about a gun, Lewis said these charges come due to the specific nature of the 14-year-old’s threats.
“He made very specific statements as to how he was going to carry out this threat, the very specific type of gun, the make and model that he was going to use,” said Lewis.
Superintendent Tom Larkin declined to comment any further on the incident.
However, in a letter Larkin sent to parents on Nov. 13 and then shared with News 5 on Tuesday, it states how Kent City Schools will be following the Ohio Revised Code, Board Policy, and the Student Code of Conduct in disciplining the student.
The letter further mentions how this event reinforces the importance of “see something… say something,” which Kent State University Junior Rachel McKean says is crucial.
“I think no matter what, no matter who it is, if it’s a friend, anyone like if you see something that can put other people in danger then you need to report it,” said McKean.
Even her friend Anthony Porach agrees, sharing a similar experience where he had to step up.
“In high school it happened, someone made a threat and we as students came together and like reported it to our principal, so yeah, I think if you see something, just say something,” said Porach.
“People have to take ownership of their schools, of their workplace, they've got to be vigilant, and if there is a threat, they have to take it seriously, and we're grateful that our students are doing that,” said Lewis.
Following the suspect’s arrest, Kent Police took him to the Portage County Juvenile Detention Center.
