A juvenile has been arrested and is facing some form of charges after he reportedly confessed to making the threat that caused a soft lockdown last week at Knoxville High School.
Knoxville Police Chief Ron Poyner says the 17-year-old male came to the police station Sunday to confess, and he was arrested on a charge of Disorderly Conduct.
It’s not clear if the juvenile will be tried as an adult, so the boy’s name can’t be publicly released. Messages left for Knox County State’s Attorney John Pepmeyer have gone unreturned.
A note was found February 21 in a bathroom at the school suggesting some sort of an attack later in the day. Other published reports suggested it was fashioned after a similar threat made on social media at a school in Knox County, Kentucky.
Superintendent Steve Wilder said at the time while the note was not found to be credible, the situation had to be taken seriously following the fatal shootings at a private school in Florida — so that lead to a soft lockdown for the remainder of the day at the school.
The juvenile is not believed to be in custody currently. The Knoxville School Board could also take disciplinary action against the student, but that would be done in a closed-door executive session.
