Students in New Berlin, Oak Creek are being investigated for gun-related incidents and threats
In a week marred by violence across schools in Wisconsin, students at two additional Milwaukee-area schools are being investigated for gun-related incidents and threats.
The New Berlin Police Department announced Thursday it was investigating two separate incidents of BB guns brought to New Berlin West Middle/High School.
Two middle school students have been interviewed by police, Police Capt. Mike Glider said in a news release Thursday. There are no additional suspects, Glider said.
The investigations are "in the very early stages" and more information will be released Friday, Glider said.
School resource officers, along with other police officers, are investigating the incidents.
Glider said no threats were made Thursday.
Student accused of sending threatening social media message in Oak Creek
Meanwhile, a student at Oak Creek’s 9th Grade Center is accused of sending a Snapchat message saying he “might as well be a mass killer.”
Officers arrested the student for sending a threat via computer message and the case has been referred to Milwaukee County Juvenile Court for Dec. 19, according to a police log entry from Nov. 26.
The Oak Creek Police Department declined to share any further information, such as the student's age or when the message was sent, citing an open investigation.
Police made contact with Principal Chris Weiss of the 9th Grade Center in Oak Creek's High School, 340 E. Puetz Road, who was provided the Snapchat messages from one student to another. In addition to the “mass killer” reference, there were also a few other concerning statements in the messages, according to the log.
Weiss declined to share any further information on the situation as it involves a minor.
The Oak Creek 9th Grade Center opened in fall 2017 and has more than 530 students and 30 staff members.
Other gun-related incidents at schools this week
The news comes after a 17-year-old male student at Waukesha South High School was shot three times by a Waukesha police officer after police say he pointed a pellet gun at officers inside a classroom. The student had a second pellet gun in his backpack and had earlier pointed one of the guns at another student, police said.
Later that day, Waukesha North High School went on lockdown for an unrelated incident after there was a report of a firearm on campus. That student was later taken into custody.
One day later, Oshkosh West High School went on lockdown after police said a student stabbed a school resource officer, and the officer then shot the student once.
And on Wednesday, three boys were arrested for allegedly making a shooting threat against Wedgewood Park International School in Milwaukee.
Contact Christopher Kuhagen at (262) 446-6634 or christopher.kuhagen@jrn.com or Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com.
