HOLLAND (WTHC-AM/FM) — Several Zeeland schools went into a shelter-in-place mode, then on a hard lockdown after school and police officials were alerted to threats made by a former student, according to a note sent to parents.
Police arrested a suspect at noon, according to police scanner chatter and school officials. No one appears to have been injured.
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Bennett said the threats “were concerning but non-specific, and the students that noted the messages reported to school authorities who notified law enforcement immediately.”
He said the 16-year-old suspect was cooperative and did not have any weapons or have access to weapons.
That teen was questioned by police detectives, who sent a report to the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s office, where they will determine what charges, if any, would be appropriate.
Zeeland East and West high schools went into the lockdown, while Creekside Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary School, and the ZPS administration building remained in a shelter-in-place mode. Below is the full text of the note school officials sent to parents at 12:40 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2019:
“At 11:45 am today, ZEHS and ZWHS were both put into shelter in place and then lockdown by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD). Creekside Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary School, and the ZPS Administration Building were put into Shelter in Place by the District, under the direction of the OCSD.The situation was the result of a former student in the area who made a social media threat towards current ZHS students. At 12:00, the suspect was taken into custody by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department.The lockdown was lifted at 12:07 pm.Thank you to local law enforcement and ZPS staff for keeping the safety and security of all students and staff a priority during this event.”
