Central Lee student arrested after school threat

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR DONNELLSON - According to Lee County Sheriff Stacy Weber a Central Lee High School student has been arrested this afternoon after an investigation into a threat to commit an assault involving a firearm at the school. Detectives were called to the Central Lee High School immediately after school officials had learned of the threat. The student was interviewed and subsequently arrested and charged with harassment in the first degree, an aggravated misdemeanor. The student is also under 18 years of age, therefore authorities are not required by Iowa Code to release the name. Weber said the parents of the student have been extremely cooperative and have surrendered all their firearms to local law enforcement. The Lee County Sheriff's department released a statement on Facebook, citing a tech issue with the department's email service. The Facebook post had more than 55,000 views and 200 shares within 24 hours. "The investigation is ongoing, but we felt the public needed to know the threat was taken seriously and charges were filed immediately," Weber said. "The Sheriff's office would like to assure the public that steps have been taken to ensure the safety of our school and the students who attend it." A statement placed on the district Facebook page stated the following: "On Friday, February 23rd, the district was provided an anonymous tip about a high school student who, at a recent school activity trip, made verbal threats of committing an act of violence with a weapon. Upon receiving this tip, the district administration acted immediately and contacted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The district searched the student’s locker, computer, and personal belongings but found no weapon or evidence of a plan to commit an act of violence. The student was interviewed by local Lee County Sheriff detectives. Information has been turned over to the county attorney for any criminal charges. The student has been suspended from school grounds and activities for the near future. The district administration will make a determination of the student's enrollment at Central Lee after a full investigation is completed.
Safety and security are the utmost importance for the Central Lee School District. The district encourages our stakeholders to alert us of any suspicious activity or verbal/written threats. By working together, we can make our community and schools safe for our students."
Weber said further information may be provided by the Lee County Attorney's Office at a later date.
central lee, donnellson, lee county, lee county sheriff, sheriff

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