CENTERVILLE, Iowa — Two juveniles were taken into custody Wednesday following unrelated threats against two school districts that are over an hour apart.
The threats made on Tuesday and Wednesday to Centerville High School and Pella High School are just the latest in a string of threats made to schools and districts across central Iowa in recent weeks.
Most recently, a former Norwalk Public Schools student was charged with Threat of Terrorism after making a threat to Oviatt Elementary School.
If you have a school safety concern, call 800-224-6018 or visit the Safe+Sound Iowa website to make an anonymous report.
Centerville
A 17-year-old has been charged with a felony after allegedly writing a threatening message on a classroom table, according to Centerville police and Centerville Community Schools.
Administrators at Centerville High School learned about the graffiti threatening school violence on Tuesday, Superintendent Mark Taylor said in a message to parents and community members.
The district eventually determined there was "no credible threat" to school safety following an internal investigation. The district also asked Centerville police to "review [the] investigation," according to Taylor's statement.
It's currently unclear whether the review took place simultaneously with or after the district's investigation. However, in a press release, Centerville police confirmed they worked closely with CHS staff and administrators.
Police arrested the 17-year-old suspect on Wednesday. The teen is charged with Threat of Terrorism, a Class D felony.
Officers received "credible tips" from community members and the Safe+Sound Iowa website, which they used to identify the suspect. In a press release, Centerville Chief of Police Tom Demry thanked the public for their help.
"It is imperative that school staff and students along with the general public take threats such as this serious and report it," he said.
Taylor also thanked community members for their help and noted the district plans to re-train students on school safety concerns.
"School safety is the most important work that we do and we appreciate the vigilance of members of our community, especially our law enforcement partners, in helping to ensure that our school remains safe for all members of the learning community," he shared in part.
Pella
A 16-year-old boy in Pella is also facing a Threat of Terrorism charge after threatening to carry out a shooting, according to Pella police.
Pella High School staff alerted police of a "potential verbal threat" made by a student on Wednesday. The teen was removed from class following a police investigation, Pella Superintendent Greg Ebeling said in a message to staff and parents.
The teen also faces charges of harassment and minor carrying a dangerous weapon, as he was found to be in possession of a homemade throwing star, according to police.
The student was taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention center.
"The Pella Police Department and the Pella School District take threats of this nature very seriously," Pella police said in a release. "It is of utmost importance to coordinate and cooperate to quickly respond to these threats and ensure the safety of students and staff in the Pella community."