Riley student arrested for making copycat threat

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Riley High School in South Bend

Riley High School in South Bend (Tribune file photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 18, 2008 at 12:39 PM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 18, 2008 at 1:01 PM EDT

SOUTH BEND — A Riley High School student has been arrested for making a threat at the school Friday morning. Police say the teen admitted that he wanted to stir up trouble after seeing a story on the news about increased security at Penn High School.

“He thought it would be funny to go to a restroom up at Riley High School and write a threat on one of the bathroom walls,” said Capt. Phil Trent of the South Bend Police. “He was subsequently arrested and admitted that the whole thing has been a hoax and it was a copycat from the Penn-Harris-Madison incident, and he was subsequently arrested and taken to the JJC.”

Penn High School has extra security measures in force Friday after a threat found on a bathroom wall in January made reference to violence on April 18.

Some Riley parents told WSBT they picked up their children after hearing of the threat there.

Attendance was also low at Penn High School Friday as many parents chose to keep their children out of school. Those kids will have excused absences and be allowed to make up work.

Thursday, Apr 24 at 8:49 PM JIM wrote ...

Everyone wake up! If we target the parents and the kids maybe some of these things would go away. At some point the parent has to be held responsible as well because teaching them how to act begins at home! If they are allowed to get away with things at home they will try to do it everywhere else. I feel that the kids who made these threats should be expelled from school for being flat out stupid. His parents should be punished as well with having to do some type of community service.

Monday, Apr 21 at 9:50 AM Student wrote ...

I go to Penn and they never do anything about threats they just make sure it gets ion the news

Sunday, Apr 20 at 4:33 PM Laville Mom wrote ...

To Laville Dad: The LV kids only stayed at JJC one night. They were back in school Tuesday morning. How's that for punishment? At least at Penn the superintendant & board members were in the halls on the day the alleged violence was threatened. At LV no administrators or board members were visible anywhere.

Sunday, Apr 20 at 8:03 AM anon wrote ...

I can assure you that Penn is not prepared for anything like what was threatened. My daughter had a troubled girl look at her point between her eyes and said "right here" she told her she was going to shoot her. When my daughter reported it to the teacher she merely moved the girl to another table. The girl then abruptly got up and left the room. She was not followed and nothing would have been done had I not made an issue out of it. My daughter left school and called me to pick her up.

Saturday, Apr 19 at 5:32 PM Mr B wrote ...

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I teach at Riley. Riley is a safe school and effective school. You may not believe me because for every positive thing that happens here, the news tells you about ten negative things like gangs, grafitti, threats, ISTEP scores, pregnacies, dropouts, and lazy teachers. Do you not think these things are also happening at every public high school in the area? How can the parents and students and community believe in their futures if they cant believe in their schools?

Saturday, Apr 19 at 9:26 AM Des wrote ...

Cassie on the news last night there was a quick view of someone on the roof of Penn.To say it was a Police sniper Im not sure...my nephew attends Penn and he was allowed to the the day off.

Saturday, Apr 19 at 8:18 AM CONCERNED wrote ...

MAYBE IF THE NEDIA DID NOT PUT SO MUCH EFFORT PUBLISHSIZING THESE INCIDENTS OTHERS WOULD NOT COPY CAT NOW WOULD THEY!!!!

Saturday, Apr 19 at 1:32 AM Cassie wrote ...

Joe, somehow...I think we know eachother very well my friend...but yeah. Why isn't the news talking about the other schools like Mishawaka and Northridge? ... Also, I need this cleared up. I heard from a friend that Penn had snipers on the roof. Now, she don't go there mind you...and she said she saw it on the news. I didn't. Who has? My friend who goes to Penn says security wasn't tightened and left. This is all a joke. Worry about when threats aren't made. >.>

Friday, Apr 18 at 11:31 PM Joe wrote ...

The same thing happened at Mishawaka High today, except it was a poster. I also heard the same thing happened at Northridge. The entire Michiana area seems to be going down the tubes. Honestly, why do kids my age think this is funny? It's not. School violence is a very real and serious issue - not a joke.

Friday, Apr 18 at 9:23 PM Mountain Guru wrote ...

What's next for this punk, A note at the bank teller? He needs some counseling and made to repaint the entire school bathroom system and then he can thing about his stupid acts.

Friday, Apr 18 at 6:28 PM karen goldbach wrote ...

i go to riley, && i really hope i find out who did it. that kind of stuff isn't funny at all, especially now-a-days with all the college shootings && whatnot.

Friday, Apr 18 at 5:19 PM knautiamom wrote ...

and what about the parents? the young person should have known better, but perhaps the parents are the ones that should have to pay for the time and effort of the police investigating the incident. and what about the rest of the students who ended up missing shcool?

Friday, Apr 18 at 5:09 PM LaVille Dad wrote ...

just what does happen to the kids who do all this.its not funny to the parents who have kids at these schools.is sending them to JJC enough? Im happy at the way Laville handled it and now it looks like SB.RILEY handled it just as well.THANK YOU TO BOTH SCHOOLS. now its up to the justice dept.to hold up thier end.

Friday, Apr 18 at 5:07 PM Natalie Owens wrote ...

I atttend Riley High School and I had to be at school today knowing that my life was being threatend. That was'nt funny at all and people should take things more seriously now. We need more security in all schools. But far as I'm concerned he needs to be put away because that was our lives that he was playing with. It's the worst feeling nowing that there's a chance that you might DIE during school. I mean where is it safe now cause it sure is'nt school.

Friday, Apr 18 at 5:02 PM Riley Dad wrote ...

The press and justice dept. should let parents and students and what the punishment is for doing this. maybe other wont think of playing this kind of joke . because its not funny and cost the schools extra money to keep everyone safe.

Friday, Apr 18 at 3:39 PM Dave wrote ...

Hopefully he will be expelled but allowed to attend school elsewhere, if they will have him. Hate to see his life ruined because of one stupid, idiotic prank. Unless this is not his first time in trouble for a major offense. If this is not his first time, burn him.

Friday, Apr 18 at 2:23 PM Anon wrote ...

This might not have happened if the press was not reminding for the last week about the threat at Penn.

Friday, Apr 18 at 1:32 PM Janet wrote ...

So the copy cat thought it would be funny did he. He won't think it is so funny when he gets expelled from school, doesn't get to graduate and won't get into college.

Friday, Apr 18 at 1:17 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Did he not think that he wouldn't get in trouble if he was caught for making a joke. This matter is not a funny issue and there are a lot of parents who have been through an actually crisis and have lost their child. I really wish kids and adults would think about there actions before doing it but I guess that would be wishful thinking to ever have that happening.

Friday, Apr 18 at 1:05 PM Anon wrote ...

This punk should be shown just how serious this type of action is. He should be permanently removed from the school if convicted.

Friday, Apr 18 at 1:00 PM There you have it! wrote ...

I ought to say 'I told you so' but I'll settle for 'at least it was a hoax'. I don't think this kid would have remembered this date from January.

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