ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) — A 15-year-old girl faces several criminal charges for planning an attack at Allegan High School.
Court records show the girl was arraigned Thursday at Allegan’s 57th District Court. Prosecutors have filed four charges, one count each of false report/threat of terrorism, stealing a firearm, felony firearm and safe breaking.
Allegan Online student arrested after threat, superintendent says
An arrest affidavit shows the Allegan Police Department was notified by the FBI’s Detroit field office on Friday of a threat toward Allegan Public Schools. Using an IP address search, federal officials dug up the names of the girl’s parents and her address.
Allegan police officers went to the girl’s home and spoke with her and at least one parent. They read her a detailed plan that the teen allegedly sent to two people online, including a plan to crash her father’s van through the windows of the cafeteria as a distraction before opening fire.
The girl also confessed that she broke into her mother’s gun safe and stole a glock. The gun was found in the girl’s bedroom along with two fully loaded magazines.
Because the suspect is a minor and has not been convicted of a crime, News 8 has chose to withhold her name.
The chief of the Allegan Police Department confirms with News 8 that the charges are connected to an arrest announced Friday. In a note sent to parents throughout the school district, the Allegan Public Schools superintendent said a student who took online classes through APS had been arrested for a potential threat.
“Officers went to the student’s home, found credible evidence of a possible incident, and arrested the student. The arrest occurred prior to the start of the school day,” the letter stated.
The superintendent sent a second letter after news of the arrest broke.
“Although the individual will be tried as an adult, the student is still considered a minor from the school district’s perspective,” the letter stated. “Therefore, Allegan Public Schools is obligated to follow privacy laws — even if information is publicly available elsewhere — and we are limited in what information we can share as the criminal and school discipline processes are ongoing.
“As you can gather from the seriousness of the charges, the swift actions from law enforcement personnel ensured the safety of our students and staff. We remain forever grateful to the Allegan City Police Department for upholding their oath to serve and protect the community of Allegan. The safety and well-being of our students remains our highest priority. We will continue to partner closely with law enforcement and remain vigilant in maintaining a safe learning environment.”
The minor is being charged as an adult. The firearm and terrorism charges carry a total penalty of up to 27 years in prison. The state’s safe-breaking laws are less defined, but the punishment can range from “imprisonment in the state prison for life or any term of years.”
A cash surety bond was set at $75,000. She is next due in court on Oct. 2 for a probable cause conference. A preliminary examination is set for Oct. 7.
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