LAKE HAVASU — On August 28, Lake Havasu City police officers responded to Thunderbolt Middle School following a report of an alleged threat made by a student while riding the bus to school. The student claimed they were threatened, stating her older cousin was going to come to the school and “shoot it up” later that day.
Upon the officer’s arrival, the school was already in lockdown, and Thunderbolt Middle School staff notified parents via Blackboard Message. School administrators had the student who allegedly made the statement, along with several witnesses, in the main office.
Officers conducted multiple interviews with the students involved. It was ultimately determined that the student did not make any threat involving a school shooting. Instead, they had stated that their older cousin was going to “beat up” other students on the bus.
During the course of the investigation, the initial student who claimed to hear about the threat and one other witness both admitted to altering their statements. It became clear that the original report of a planned school shooting was false.
As a result of providing false information and causing significant disruption, the two students who altered their statements were arrested and charged with Disruption of an Educational Institution.
The Lake Havasu Unified School District and the Lake Havasu City Police Department take every potential threat to our schools with the utmost seriousness. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. Each reported threat is thoroughly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary and/or criminal actions are taken against those found responsible.
The president of the Lake Havasu school board released the following statement:
As President of the Lake Havasu Unified School District Governing Board, I have spoken directly with Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Stone and Thunderbolt Middle School Principal Amy Barney regarding student safety at Thunderbolt Middle School. After our discussions, I am pleased to announce that the District is moving forward with opening two additional security positions at Thunderbolt Middle School. These new security team members will work alongside our School Resource Officer to further strengthen safety and ensure a secure environment for students and staff. The positions will be officially posted on the District website today.
In addition to these immediate steps, I am also actively working to provide School Security Officers at every school within the Lake Havasu Unified School District. Updates will be shared as progress continues on this important initiative.
Our Governing Board and Administration take the safety of our students and staff with the utmost seriousness. We remain committed to strengthening campus security and ensuring that every child has a safe place to learn and grow.
David Rose
Governing Board President
Lake Havasu Unified School District
