Shooting Threats Lead To Arrests

“Bang,” a 15-year-old boy said as he pointed his finger at a classmate at lunch at Pea Ridge High School.

That imitation of shooting, along with previous threats, sent fear through the 15-year-old at whom it was aimed and launched an investigation by school officials and police which revealed several boys had threatened to shoot a classmate. Their threats were by word, text messages and Facebook to “jump” as well as to shoot him.

The student who threatened and pretended to shoot was arrested for terroristic threatening and booked into the Benton County Juvenile Detention Center on Friday, Jan. 11. He was released Jan. 14.

“This type of behavior is not going to be tolerated,” school superintendent Rick Neal said. “We can’t be sitting here waiting for something to happen.

“We live in a world where this can not be taken lightly,” Neal said. “Whether by electronic means, in or out of school - it still affects the school atmosphere.”

The threats were apparently in reaction to two boys interested in the same girl, according to the police report, which states theboys making the threats were friends with one another.

“We are going to be very proactive seeking out this type of behavior,” Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said.

“We are going to do whatever is necessary to alleviate it.”

A second suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was arrested Friday, Jan. 18, at his home.

He reportedly posted on Facebook that another youth would find himself with a .38 in his mouth.

When police went to the boy’s residence to arrest him, the boy cursed police and resisted arrest while his grandmother yelled at police to leave the residence. The juvenile was arrested for terroristic threatening and resisting arrest.

He has been recommended for expulsion from school.

An expulsion hearing was scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 22. He was transferred from Benton County Juvenile Detention Center to Vista Health.

His grandmother, Kathryn Marie Monroe, 56, Pea Ridge, was arrested for obstructing governmental operations.

“There is an increased concern from the public that dictates that we seek out this type of behavior and alleviate it as quicklyas possible. These types of incidents have to befully investigated and dealt with,” Ledbetter said.

News, Pages 1 on 01/23/2013