Sandpoint student arrested after threatening violence upon school

SANDPOINT — A Lake Pend Orielle School District student who was suspended Monday, Dec. 15, for making an alleged threat to another student has been arrested by Bonner County law enforcement following a full review of the incident.  

The 14-year-old student is facing a charge of threatening violence upon school grounds through the use of a firearm or other deadly weapon. According to Idaho Code, the threatening violence of an educational institution is classified as a misdemeanor.  

In a press release, Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler said that the sheriff’s office received a report of a threatening group text made by the juvenile on Sunday, Dec. 14. The reporting party shared concerns of safety if the Sandpoint High School students attended school the following Monday.  

After consulting with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, LPOSD officials suspended the student following an initial review of the situation. Charges were announced in connection with the case Tuesday.

“LPOSD is grateful to our law enforcement agencies for their prompt response and close cooperation during this investigation," Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer said in a statement sent to The Daily Bee. "We take threats of this nature seriously and we will continuously review our protocols to ensure the district has the strongest possible safety measures in place. And we’re proud that our reporting students took the initiative to contact their trusted adults, school authorities and law enforcement."

After determining the juvenile lived within county jurisdiction, deputies contacted the suspect and his parents. A press release indicates that all weapons inside the home were voluntarily removed during investigation.  

Additional evidence on the suspect’s phone, social media and emails revealed that the threat was credible, providing enough evidence to arrest the juvenile.  

No further information has been sent out regarding the arrest.