By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
news4garrod@gmail.com
A 12-year-old faces charges for making phone call threats to the Paw Paw and Mattawan school districts, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said that Sheriff’s deputies, along with local agencies, were dispatched to Paw Paw and Mattawan schools on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at approximately 12:20 p.m. and 12:37 p.m. for a threats complaint. The threat indicated that “someone was going to come to the school and shoot it up,” according to the press release.
Sheriff Abbott said there was “an immediate and overwhelming response to both schools by law enforcement and each have Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Deputies.”
The investigation began immediately, and it was determined both school districts received the threats from the same source.
Sheriff Abbott said through investigative techniques, law enforcement was able to identify and locate the suspect. The suspect was interviewed by detectives and admitted to making the calls. It was also found that the suspect called another school in Mississippi with similar threats. “Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with Mississippi law enforcement regarding their threats investigation,” said Sheriff Abbott.
This case will be turned over to the Van Buren County Prosecutor’s Office for charges against the 12-year-old.
