SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Update: Scottsdale police have identified a 10-year-old student that said they made the threatening note as a "joke". The student will be disciplined accordingly by the school, and police will investigate any possible charges.
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Scottsdale police say there will be an increased police presence Tuesday at BASIS Scottsdale, a 5-12 grade school, as they investigate a threat the school received.
According to Scottsdale police, the school near 128th Street and Shea Boulevard received the threat indicating a possible act of violence at the school that would happen Tuesday.
“Scottsdale Police are working with the BASIS administration and investigating the credibility of the threat,” Scottsdale police said.
“Threatening violence toward individuals or school facilities are serious crimes, are not funny or humorous, and may carry serious consequences for those responsible in making the threats.”
Police say their investigation is ongoing and they have no additional information to release.
A letter sent to ABC15 from parents shows students are being told NOT to bring backpacks to the campus as the threat is investigated.
ABC15 received the following statement from Phil Handler, the Vice President of Communications for BASIS:
"Internally, we are continuing to investigate this matter, and the Scottsdale Police Department is doing so as well. The threats were in the form of notes received in student lockers, and while initial notes received and reported in the school on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, did not constitute a credible threat, an additional note reported late Thursday, September 1 did rise to that level. We take any threat seriously and we notified the Scottsdale Police Department. That particular note is the primary focus of our and the Scottsdale Police Department's investigation. We alerted our school community via email notification on Thursday evening (9/1), and followed up on Friday evening, and Monday evening. (We had no school -- a previously scheduled day off -- last Friday, September 2.)
For obvious reasons, I cannot relay security details -- both the usual security measures we have in place, as well as the increased security we have for today and beyond. However, we have taken steps to increase security on and around campus and are working with the Scottsdale Police Department on those security measures, too. We greatly appreciate the Scottsdale Police officers who have been working on this matter.
We are treating this situation very seriously, of course, as the health and safety of our students, families, teachers, and staff is paramount -- always has been, and always will be."
