FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
   CONTACT: Julie Houston Trieste , 561-357-1114

October 7, 2019

[email protected]

School District Police Arrest Suspect in Friday's Threat to Loggers' Run Middle School

BOCA RATON- Palm Beach County School District Police arrested a 13-year-old suspect Monday for making a prank call, Friday, that led to a Code Red lockdown and a heavy police response at Loggers' Run Community Middle School.

Authorities say that the suspect confessed to making the call to 911 claiming that there was a shooting at the school. The teenager is now in police custody and charged with making a false report regarding the use of a firearm in a violent manor- a second degree felony. Police say there was no validity to the call. 

In addition to criminal charges, the suspect is also subject to disciplinary consequences as outlined in the School District's Student Code of Conduct.
 
"I want to commend our students who were on campus Friday as this was unfolding," Krista Hierholzer, principal of Loggers' Run Middle School said in a call to the school's families. "I'd also like to thank School District Police for the thorough investigation of this threat, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for its assistance during the lockdown." 
 
School Police underscores that all threats are taken seriously and encourages parents to speak to their children about the serious consequences of making a threat.  Students should report any threat to a trusted adult, or anonymously through the Fortify Florida app.

# # #
About the School District of Palm Beach County

The School District of Palm Beach County is the tenth largest in the nation and the fifth
largest in the state of Florida with 179 schools, serving more than 176,000 students who
speak 150 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the
school district has 22,600 employees, including more than 12,000 teachers. To learn more
about the School District of Palm Beach County, visit www.palmbeachschools.org.