Olathe shooting comes after spate of threats of violence at Kansas City area schools
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Olathe East High School shooting
A shooting at a Johnson County high school injured a school resource officer and an administrator, according to police. The suspect, a student, is in custody.
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Friday’s shooting at Olathe East High School, injuring three people, came after a rise in threats made against Kansas City area schools in the past year.
Olathe East, at 14545 W. 127th St. in Johnson County, remained on lockdown into Friday afternoon. Three people were shot and injured: a school resource officer, an assistant school principal and the suspect, who is a student and was shot in the abdomen, according to radio traffic from the officer, captured by Broadcastify.com.
Earlier in the day, some parents in the Odessa school district, on the Missouri side of the metro, said on social media that they were keeping their middle schoolers home after hearing rumors that there was a shooting threat at their school.
Throughout this school year, Kansas City area districts have responded to shooting threats, a bomb threat and more — echoing a national rising trend in school violence and threats. Some educators have said they’ve witnessed an uptick in student misbehavior, including threats, fights and other issues, during this third school year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Star has counted at least 20 school threats made in Kansas City area districts this school year.
This winter, three students were suspended and one was arrested in connection to a series of threats scrawled across bathroom walls at Blue Springs South High School.
Earlier this school year in Independence, a Bridger Middle School student threatened over social media to bring a gun to school and harm a school staff member.
At Raytown South High School, police found a loaded gun in a student’s car — the second incident where police were called to the campus to search a student for bringing a loaded gun.
In December came a social media threat to “shoot up Wyandotte High School” in Kansas City, Kansas.
Across the Kansas City area, districts have spent millions to improve security in the wake of school shootings, using bond issues, state grants, tax dollars and other sources. Some districts have limited access to school buildings, by reconstructing entrances. Some have added metal detectors. And many are hiring more school resource officers, plus installing more security cameras, door locks and communication systems.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 12:57 PM.
