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Summit County sheriff investigates threat of gun violence at middle school

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a possible threat of violence at the Summit Middle School in Frisco, officials announced today.

The sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28 that a male 8th grader was threatening to commit gun violence against multiple students at the school. Deputies quickly arrived at the suspect’s resident and began an investigation. A laptop computer was collected as evidence, said Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons.

“Enough evidence has been recovered to lend itself to this being a credible threat,” he said.

Although the student is not in law enforcement custody, he is not attending school and is not currently a danger to the community, the sheriff said.

In safety and security situations in which there is an ongoing law enforcement investigation, any students found to violate school policies or safety protocols are immediately removed from school, according to a district press release.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our students and staff,” said Superintendent Kerry Buhler in a written statement. “We believe that keeping our schools safe requires a partnership with students, staff and families. This event highlights that our staff and student safety training works – we are grateful to all of those in our caring school community, especially to the person who phoned in this safety concern … The district is working closely with Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons and his team, and they have shared that there is no imminent danger to students, staff or the school.”

FitzSimons would not say whether the student had previously threatened violence, or in what context the recent threat was made.

“At this time we have no reason to believe that there is a security risk to the students or the Summit Middle School itself stemming from this incident,” he said in a written statement. “This case remains a very fluid and active investigation. I encourage families to continue to talk with their children about safety and the importance about reporting any concerns promptly to parents, school officials, law enforcement or Safe2Tell Colorado, as in this case.”

Safe2Tell Colorado is an anonymous tip system run by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

Anyone with information and tips about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Scott Wagner at 970-423-8913. Parents and community members are encouraged to report concerns directly to district leaders, law enforcement or 9-1-1 or to Safe2Tell at 1-877-542-SAFE (1-877-542-7233), http://www.Safe2Tell.org.


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