EM high school student charged in Dunn County with making terrorist threats
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — A 17-year-old Elk Mound High School student has been charged in Dunn County with one felony count of making terrorist threats after sending threatening text messages regarding school staff.
The defendant waived a preliminary hearing in the case on February 11 before Judge Rod W. Smeltzer, and an arraignment hearing is scheduled in Dunn County Circuit Court March 23.
Judge Smeltzer set a cash bail of $500 at an initial appearance February 7.
Conditions of the cash bail are that the defendant is to have no firearms or explosives and no contact with Elk Mound High School.
In addition to one felony count of making terrorist threats, the teenager also is charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
According to the criminal complaint, at shortly before 8 a.m. February 6, Elk Mound Police Chief Chad Weinberger received a telephone call from Paul Kling, principal at Elk Mound High School, who said a student had sent threatening text messages regarding staff at the high school and asked Police Chief Weinberger to immediately come to the high school.
Police Chief Weinberger met with Kling and the staff member who had received the text messages. The staff member said she works with the teenager, who has had many difficulties in his life but had previously been thought of as a good student.
The defendant’s mother and father were out of the country, and the defendant had been missing school and soon may be considered truant, the staff member said.
The previous evening, the staff member said she had received text messages from the defendant that she believed directly threatened the high school secretary at the front office, the complaint states.
All together, six text messages are included in the criminal complaint. Here are some of the text messages:
“I’m dead serious right now. Ima pull out a gun tomorrow and make sure she f—king goes to hell.”
“I know [she] isn’t the only one asking about me … I’ll make my decision tomorrow. Either come to school or commit suicide so I won’t have to deal with anyone’s bull—t no more.”
“Good damn thing why I bought a gun for, for this damn moment.”
“I have been taking some deep breaths. If schools being a b—ch and forcing me to go to school when I’m sick then fine. I’ll just force myself to commit murder then suicide too then see how they like it.”
Another text message indicated that the student did not have anyone to “call in for me.”
According to the criminal complaint, the school’s safety plan was implemented, and deputies from Dunn County Sheriff’s Department assisted with security at the school while other deputies from Dunn County and Police Chief Weinberger responded to the defendant’s residence.
The 17-year-old was not initially located at the residence, but the teenager’s siblings confirmed there were firearms in the residence, although the teenager did not have access to the firearms. The siblings said the firearms were all accounted for, the complaint states.
The defendant was located as he was returning home, and he consented to go to the Elk Mound Police Department for a follow-up.
The defendant admitted to sending the text messages and said he had many difficulties and stress at home, work and school. The young man said he feels as if the secretary has been targeting him since his freshman year. Although he sent the text messages to a teacher, the teenager said he did not think he could act on the messages.
After the follow-up at the Elk Mound Police Department, the 17-year-old was transported to the Dunn County Jail, according to the criminal complaint.
Making terrorist threats is a Class I felony that, upon conviction, carries a possible penalty of a fine of up to $10,000 and/or three years and six months in prison.
Disorderly conduct is a Class B misdemeanor that, upon conviction, carries a possible penalty of a fine of up to $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail.
