Released December 18, 2024 – “Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff:
Administrators received a report today that a student reportedly had a gun at school and was showing it to others.
As part of our investigation, we spoke with several students and viewed school surveillance camera footage. With support of our school resource officer (SRO), we did not locate any student at school with a gun. Our investigation also included a locker search, as well as a home visit by police.
Throughout the day, administrators received several phone calls from parents, who heard from their child that a student had a gun at school.
As part of our investigation today, we spoke to additional students and received different accounts and versions of the information they knew or overheard from a peer. Please know that whenever we receive reports related to safety concerns, we will investigate them as quickly as possible.
Part of our investigation today revealed that students reportedly overheard someone during a lunch shift say they were going to shoot up the school. We were not able to confirm the reports, as many were provided by students who did not hear it themselves, but were sharing what they were told by a friend or overheard. What we did learn is that a student reportedly made a gesture with their hand alluding to a gun.
We have confirmed that the rumors of a student having a gun in school are one in the same with the student who made a gesture with their hand. The locker and personal items were searched again as part of our process, and no weapon was located.
Please continue to encourage your child to speak to a staff member, administrator, or our SRO if they have information about any activity or conversations that make them feel unsafe or threatened. School, student, and staff safety is a top priority. Administrators will work with police any time we receive reports such as this one.
Please know that for privacy reasons, I am not able to share additional details with you about the investigation. If you have questions I can answer, please reach out to me at the school. Thank you for your continued support of Milton M. Somers Middle School.
Sincerely, Gary Lesko, Principal.”
