Woodlawn Reacts To School Threats

RISON - A 14-year-old student from Woodlawn High School was taken into custody by the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department last Wednesday night, Sept. 11, after allegedly making threats to another student about violence at school.Chief Deputy Gary Young of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department said the Woodlawn School District contacted the sheriff's office last Wednesday night after learning about the threat. Young said the student was taken into custody and charged with terroristic threatening, which he said would be the equivalent of a felony charge if the suspect were an adult. The student is being charged as a juvenile.Young said the student remained in juvenile detention until his hearing Monday in Cleveland County Circuit Court at Rison. He said the student was released to be under house arrest at the hearing. Young said the legal consequences for juveniles with charges of this nature can range from probation to detention.Young said another court hearing concerning the case has been scheduled for Oct. 8.Woodlawn Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hancock made a post on the Woodlawn High School Facebook page at 7:12 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, to alert district patrons about the possible threat."It was brought to our attention last night (Sept. 11) that there was a potential situation involving a threat from one of our students toward another student" Hancock wrote. "School officials in cooperation with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office investigated the potential threat and the student in question is in the custody of the Cleveland County Sheriff's office." Hancock went on to say that he could not make any further comment due to the ongoing investigation. "Your student's safety is our top priority at Woodlawn School District," he said.Once news of the threat spread throughthe community, Hancock said he he had offices from the sheriff's office and Arkansas State Police on campus as students arrived to school last Thursda...