A BOCES student is suspected of making threats of violence at the Batavia campus and he is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation in Buffalo.
The name of the student is not being released and he has not been charged, though Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said that if there is sufficient evidence for charges against the youth, he will be charged.
Brewster said local law enforcement takes these kinds of threats seriously and will act on them when they come to the attention of local officials.
"We're still trying to pin down what he said and to whom," Brewster said. "If anyone is going to make such threats about something they're going to do at a school, they are going to get arrested."
Superintendent Chris Daily confirmed he was made aware of the threats and notified local law enforcement.
"We look into any kind of threat and work with local law enforcement to make sure it is not credible, and if it is we act accordingly," Daily said. "We take any threat very seriously. The safety of our students is of utmost importance."
It's unclear if the student made verbal threats or if he had written anything down. Brewster said investigators are still looking into it.
Daily said he was only aware of statements the student reportedly made at BOCES.
Brewster characterized the threats, based on information available so far, as vague threats to hurt students with no reference as to how he would do it.
The youth is somebody with prior criminal charges.
Batavia PD was notified of the alleged threats and has offered to assist in the investigation, Chief Shawn Heubusch said.
It's important, Brewster said, for parents, teachers, fellow students, and others who come in contact with somebody making threats against schools to notify authorities.
"Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when the rule is, if you see something, say something," Brewster said. "Police can't act on anything if they don't know about it."
They don't even know what he
They don't even know what he said if he said anything yet he's hauled away for an evaluation.
how does that work? someone calls the police and reports a gut feeling , a hunch? should we call this a pre-emptive arrest? Is the evaluation being forced on this young person? seems a court would have to order it not a hunch from a chief deputy.
David...I doubt if they are
David...I doubt if they are acting on a hunch, somebody probably either heard him say something or saw something he had written. What do you want authorities to do, Ignore it? and end up with another parkland fla. situation? They are doing the right thing by checking this kid out.
A few times people have
A few times people have called the police on me and lied to have me committed. The police take you to Strong or Warsaw for evaluation, whether you want to go or not. I now brag that I have nine SANE CETIFICATES> Never committed and appalled that the
law can be used this way.
Jeff , I'm just going on what
Jeff , I'm just going on what the cop said.. should scare all of us that authorities can haul you away with no proof you did anything wrong. That superintendent takes threats seriously, well the Chief Deputy has no proof of any threat. I take hauling people away and locking them up for a hunch or a gut feeling seriously too.