A 13-year-old student from the Kenosha Unified School District was taken into custody after entering Roosevelt Elementary School on Thursday morning with a backpack and a black duffel bag, thanks to community tips.
“We received numerous tips regarding the identity and location of the person depicted in the photo. Some of those tips guided our investigation and led to the arrest of a 13-year-old KUSD student. Upon verification of the suspect’s location, officers were able to successfully convince the suspect to surrender,” Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton said.
Authorities confirmed that the young individual is a student at Mahone Middle School and has a history of attending Roosevelt.
“We can confirm that we received at least one video depicting the suspect holding what we believe is a firearm. We also have information that the suspect performed multiple internet searches related to school shootings prior to the incident,” Kenosha police said.
At approximately 9 a.m., a significant number of law enforcement officers were observed at Roosevelt Elementary School in Kenosha due to reports of an individual behaving suspiciously on the premises.
“So the suspect actually tried numerous outside doors and entrances before coming around to where our secured entry is,” Kenosha Unified School District Superintendent Jeff Weiss said
School personnel interrogated the adolescent in the controlled access zone. A surveillance camera captured a sizable dark bag next to him.
The individual evaded capture when confronted by school personnel, prompting a temporary lockdown of the schools to restrict access.
“I want to acknowledge our staff who acted quickly and engaged law enforcement so they could do their part to detain the suspect. They may not have known in the exact moment what was happening, but their actions were heroic and prevented the unfathomable,” Weiss said.
After confirming the suspect’s whereabouts, law enforcement managed to persuade the individual to give themselves up. Witnesses reported that the arrest took place just a few blocks from the school, specifically in the 6700 block of 30th Avenue, around 2 p.m.
Authorities indicated that their inquiry uncovered the suspect’s sharing of videos and numerous remarks to peers over the weeks preceding Thursday.
The identity of the individual remains undisclosed, and details regarding their access to the firearm have not been provided by the police. The suspect’s mother is reportedly cooperating with law enforcement, though she was not taken into custody on Thursday.
The school district had earlier planned a day off for students on Friday, Nov. 8, designated as a staff workday.