The Storm Lake Police Department is continuing to investigate a school shooting threat after an eighth-grade student was arrested and charged with threats of terrorism, a class D felony. Storm Lake Police Chief, Mark Prosser, said in a press release that they were notified by a Storm Lake Middle School faculty member at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, that a verbal threat had been made by the student to another eighth-grade student. Authorities determined that there was no immediate danger, but did conduct an initial investigation with students, faculty and staff members. Officers learned the 13-year-old had been researching a site involving illegal activity and illegal weapons for sale, and shared that with other middle school students over the lunch period several days prior. During this event, the subject was said to have vocalized plans to purchase a gun and “shoot up the school.” The comment went unreported for several days, before finding its way to the faculty member who made the report. The suspect and his parents were contacted and the laptop was seized for further investigation. The youth was referred to Buena Vista Juvenile Courts before being released to the custody of his parents.
