Teen taken into protective custody over Garden City school threats

Garden City police said Friday that a 16-year-old boy has been taken into protective custody – but not arrested – over threats made against the local high school.

“No arrests or charges have been made or requested at this time,” Capt. Randy Ralston said in a post on the Garden City Police Department’s Facebook page early Friday afternoon. He went on to say that authorities had increased their presence at Garden City High School in light of the threats but released no other details about what has transpired since police first learned of them last night.

Though no official explanation was offered late Thursday night, some parents on social media indicated they planned to keep their children home from school on Friday. Classes were being held as scheduled Friday, the school’s principal, Steve Nordby, said in another Facebook post. He added that “numerous people of interest” were being interviewed by Garden City police.

“The school and the district take every threat seriously and all will be investigated,” Nordby said. “The district encourages you to report any information about any school safety related incidents to administrators or staff at school, or to the Garden City Police Department.”

Ralston, on Facebook, said the first reports of “threats of violence towards students” of the school through social media came into the police department at about 7 p.m. Thursday. Police and the school district launched an investigation, which continued Friday.

The school threat is at least the second investigated by Garden City police and the school district in recent months.

In March, two Garden City middle schoolers were arrested on suspicion of criminal threat after they were caught dropping threatening notes in the hallways of Horace Good Middle School. Ralston, at the time, said the 13- and 14-year-old boys left the handwritten messages as a prank.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Teen taken into protective custody over Garden City school threats."