After a school shooting threat in Bend this week, police discovered the suspect’s list of targets, and contacted each one to let them know.
That’s just one of the revelations the Bend Police Department issued Thursday, following the arrest of a Pilot Butte Middle School student on Monday.
The 12-year-old student told a teacher on October 21 they’d brought a loaded gun to school. A school resource officer on campus that day tracked down the student and took them into custody.
Police, “learned the child had brought the gun to school with a plan to use it and had an identified list of targets.”
According to a statement released Thursday, during their investigation, police, “learned the child had brought the gun to school with a plan to use it and had an identified list of targets. Everyone identified on that list has been contacted by police at this time.”
The student remained in custody as of October 24. Police arrested the student on suspicion of attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, disorderly conduct, unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree theft. Police believe the student was acting alone. After they began their investigation Monday, Bend PD received ongoing threats at Pilot Butte Middle School, all of which they deemed to be not credible, a statement read Thursday, though a second student was arrested this week in what appears to be a false-threat “copycat” scheme. Bend PD arrested another Pilot Butte student, suspecting them of making false threats. The student was arrested on, “suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct for making widespread threats, though they were deemed not credible.”
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent, Dr. Steven Cook, issued the following statement on October 24:
“We stand with our students, staff and families in expressing significant concern over the details emerging from the police investigation of the Oct. 21 incident at Pilot Butte Middle School. At the same time, we are so relieved and grateful for the actions of our staff and School Resource Officer in preventing what could have been a tragic outcome. We appreciate our partnership and collaborative decision-making with the Bend Police Department. This remains an ongoing police investigation. We also want to recognize and continue to support our students and families, who understandably remain concerned and have many questions. The District will continue to provide counseling resources at Pilot Butte.”
This article appears in Source Weekly October 24, 2024.
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