Lawrence police investigate after ‘credible’ threat against high school; no weapon found
.jpg "A student at Free State High School was detained and searched by Lawrence police following a “credible” threat made against the school that led authorities to believe the student was armed, according to the police department.")
A student at Free State High School in Lawrence was detained and searched by police on Tuesday morning in connection with an investigation that began with information concerning a threat directed toward the public high school, authorities said.
Lawrence police were contacted by school district officials to investigate what authorities described as a “credible threat” where one student was thought to be armed, police said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. School employees and the local school resource officer contacted the student and asked him to give up his backpack, which he refused, police said.
Police say the student was uncooperative with the investigation and left school property, walking toward nearby businesses. The school resource officer requested assistance from Lawrence police based on the belief that the student may possess a weapon, the department’s statement said.
The student was detained there by another officer. It was discovered that he did not possess a weapon, police said.
In a statement Tuesday, Deputy Police Chief Adam Heffley said the student was “intentionally defiant” with police and school personnel, saying the police department and school district were working together toward “fully investigating any threat.”
“The threat was concerning and contained details,” Heffley said, adding: “We’re glad this ended the way it did.”
