A Thunder Mountain High School student was arrested midmorning Friday for having pocket knives on school grounds, police say.
The 14-year-old boy was lodged at a juvenile detention facility after responding police officers found two small folding blade pocket knives in his backpack, Juneau Police Department Sgt. Dominic Branson said in a phone interview.
According to a JPD news release, the school’s principal reported it to police at 11:20 a.m., and while officers were en route, school employees escorted the student outside of the building.
During that time, the student allegedly made threatening comments and actions, placing two staff members in fear, police say. The knives were never brandished as a weapon, police say.
The student was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault for exhibiting threatening behavior and fourth-degree weapons misconduct for possessing knives on school grounds. He was taken to the Johnson Youth Center.
Both those offenses are class ‘A’ misdemeanors that can each carry up to one year of prison or a $10,000 fine as a maximum possible penalty.
It was not immediately known how school authorities discovered the student was in possession of the knives.
The Juneau School District could not be reached Saturday for comment. The student’s name was not released since he is a minor.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (10)
Add commentWhen you are 16
we are going to let you get a driver's license and drive a car. Will you be aggressive and threaten other drivers too?
Gosh, my dad gave me a pocket
Gosh, my dad gave me a pocket knife and I carried it everywhere, even to school. I remember in grade school I used it to slice my apple at lunch. Times sure are different.
I am sure he and his parents knew of this policy........
I have recieved voluminous amounts of paperwork in the form of mutual consent behavioral agreements since school began, as I am sure this child's parents did. Both my child and I must agree to conform to district accepted norms of behavior including NOT bringing weapons or implements that may be viewed as weapons to school, as he and his parents did. These rules are in place to protect the children and staff, to assure that the least amount of interruption to the school day occurs, and to define a set of standards that will be used beyond the high school environment.
Why does a child need mulitple pocket knives at school? I can think of no logical reason. If he wanted to cut an apple, he could well have used a plastic knife supplied by the cafeteria staff. This child's behavior resulted in a lock down of the entire school for a significant segment of my child's academic day. All parents were immediately notified telephonically and via e-mail that the lock down occured. Children called and texted parents during the incident as they were frightened and not told what was transpiring. His threatening behavior, for whatever reason he displayed it, was completely unacceptable.There is no reason to create such chaos and fear in a school building. He is where he belongs.
Empire cannot even cut and paste
The press release actually says, "staff members of the school followed the student outside" a vastly different situation than the “escorted" that is alleged by the Empire.
The Press Release goes on to say “Two of the staff members reported that although the student didn’t brandish the knife, they were placed in fear by the student’s words and actions.” I guess the question here is, did the staff members place themselves in fear? It sounds like the kid was making reasonable efforts to leave the situation and was “followed” by staff members who now claim he was placing them in fear… even though they continued to follow….
well no weapons in school
This is time of these days no weapons. In school we need to keep kids safe. Even if this kid had no plans of harming anyone. The rule is no weapon. In school that is the rule.
well no weapons in school
This is time of these days no weapons. In school we need to keep kids safe. Even if this kid had no plans of harming anyone. The rule is no weapon. In school that is the rule.
Panic attack
An absolute panic attack by the Principal and staff. No way should a pocket knife be considered as weapon of mass destruction and disrupt the operation of the whole school.
A SAD DAY in America......
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hes getting a taste of that hell called JYS. maybe that will calm him down that place is far worse than LCCC.
Don't blame the principal
They no doubt have procedures documented that tell him what he's supposed to do in a situation like this. And if he fails to do it, he has the likes of Concerned Citizen breathing down his neck.
Let's institutionalize these kids as early as possible - that'll certainly help. Right?
Lat: I agree...procedures must be followed...such as if
the child is leaving the immediate supervision of the staff and moving about the school unattended. The errant child may have a stash. Or maybe the errant child's attitude included threats of future bodily harm. There are many scenarios and it would be nice if we had more facts to substantiate these blurps of news to stem the tide of speculation between the initial reporting and the "rest of the story".