Two western Iowa schools were forced to implement safety protocols this week after receiving reported threats of violence. At approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16, the Storm Lake Police Department learned a 12-year-old Storm Lake Middle School student had made a threat on Jan. 4, the same day as the Perry school shooting, but it was not reported to law enforcement for nearly two weeks. Authorities located and interviewed the student and determined the threat was not credible. Then yesterday (Wednesday), Denison Community Schools was placed on lockdown after receiving a phone call at the high school warning of a potential threat. Officials determined the incident was a “swatting” attempt, where an individual reports a fake disturbance to solicit a significant law enforcement response to disrupt daily activities. In the Storm Lake case, the juvenile has been charged with threats of terrorism, a class D felony, and the matter was forwarded to the juvenile courts. Law enforcement reminds students that threats of violence toward schools are not a laughing matter and are often met with severe consequences.
