On the evening of 3-23-17, a school custodian found a fourth note in a girl’s bathroom at Flagstaff High School. Police and Investigators are continuing to follow up on this case and interviewing staff and students. Flagstaff Unified School District and Flagstaff High School are working closely with police to attempt to identify the person(s) responsible for these threatening notes. The Flagstaff Police Department has increased patrols and security in schools throughout Flagstaff.
On 3-23-17 another statement was written on the wall in the stall of a girl’s bathroom at Thomas Elementary School in Flagstaff. This statement does threaten a school shooting although it does not look similar to the notes at Flagstaff High School. School Staff found this statement written and immediately reported the incident.
On 3-8-17, a student found a note in a boy’s bathroom of Flagstaff High School. This is the first note reported to have been found. It provided a warning indicating there would be a shootout. On 3-9-17 a second note was found in a girl’s bathroom of Flagstaff High School. This note indicated there would be a “Columbine” type incident the next day or sometime in March. On 3- 20-17 a third note was found in a girl’s bathroom of Flagstaff High School. This note alluded to the date of April 20th which is the anniversary of Columbine. On 3-23-17 the fourth note was found by school staff while the building was being cleaned. It mentioned the previous notes.
This incident is under investigation as a crime. According to ARS 13-2911, a person commits interference with or disruption of an educational institution by intentionally, knowingly or recklessly disrupting an educational institution by threatening to cause physical injury to any person at the school, or by threatening to cause damage to the facility or property at the school. These threats are being taken very seriously and investigated as a felony crime.
Police and School Officials are working together to gather information and maintain safety. The Flagstaff Police Department will be providing a high visibility presence at the school for the next several weeks. A School Resource Officer has been assigned to work at Flagstaff High School full time during school hours throughout the next several weeks to enhance school safety. We are asking anyone with information in regard to the individual(s) responsible for the incidents to contact police. Tips provided through Silent Witness which lead to the arrest could provide the caller with up to $2,000.00 for their assistance. Police are encouraging students who have information to come forward. Please call Detective Barreras at (928)679-4055 or Silent Witness at (928)774-6111 if you have information.
Sgt. Cory C. Runge
Flagstaff Police Department
Your welcome :)
Thanks
Beth Goyette Heerding
I suggest the students to stay home just in case 👍
This is scary I transferred my son to Thomas school his first week I get a call about this…I never had this problem at his old school…
There is NO MONEY for anything u are suggesting. Unless parents want to step up and pay for all of this. FUSD and FPD are honestly doing the best they can with what they have. Please remember our district just redid all entrances and outside locks to all our schools in the last couple years. FUSD is already short on funds for the basics. It’s sad but true. Are u volunteering to help patrol the hallways?? Cuz that would be awesome! As parents we all need to ask what we can do to help keep our kids safe cuz I can assure you they are already doing all they can
As a student at FHS I can tell you that a lot has changed this week. We’ve been told and gone through safety procedures multiple times this week and there is definitely increased security on campus. There’s better monitoring of doors by teachers, as well as the personal awareness by students and teachers. Officers and investigators all around. FPD and FUSD is doing the best they can for the situation.
Yes but they can typically tell if it’s the same by certain characteristics
Agreed^ it’s very easy to switch your handwriting. Heck I switch mine not even on purpose during the course of one paper.
I didn’t not say they are not doing anything. They need to take action yes there is swat on stand by and police on stand by but why not put into the play and act sooner on it rather than Later. When the swat has to be called for our children getting hurt. Sir I’m sorry you don’t understand that people want their kids to be taken care of right away not later. It’s in the Lords hands and God will keep our children Safe but by all means why not spend money to make sure they are protected and innocent lives are not harmed in the making of these notes. I’m not saying they are not doing their job clearly they are I’m saying there needs to be more precautions taken. Hundreds of children are in this area. Please before you right back think about the security of all doors and how easily a door can be entered before you put your 2 cents into my kids lives and their safety. Have a blessed day.
This kid is not too bright!
Or have a assembly with each grade level or something…talk to the kids,
They do. Admin wandering the halls and a police officer assigned to patrol every school. The notes are being left in trash cans and written on bathroom stalls. I’m not sure people want adults going into bathroom stalls with teenagers.
Exactly. It’s scary for everyone but FPD have detectives on it, a SWAT team at the ready, an officer posted in every school, and other patrol officers within 5 minutes of every school. Schools have drills every quarter and have safety measures in place like locking classroom and exterior doors. It’s probably a sick joke, but I think without treating thousands of innocent kids like criminals and wasting millions of dollars on metal detectors, they’re doing a mighty fine job. I applaud FPD and FUSD for their response.
Maybe a hall monitor while kids are in class?🤔
Oh yes, I was destroyed for proposing that FPD was doing a good job.
Praying for safety for all the schools and that this is just a sick joke.
Vasseli just got told. LOL
Lupita Piper
I had the same thought!
I think it’s the principle
For your information I have. If you believe your comment does anything either then don’t comment. Your comment is irrelevant but obviously people read flag scanner and so do plenty of parents and staff so why shouldn’t I put it out there and vent. Why shouldn’t I put it in public view for people to see and to vent. Maybe I touched many parents hearts minds and souls to call regarding this matter enough to call the school and take some kind of action for our young lives in flagstaff. After all their our next generations. People are on social media so much (including myself) that yes I put it out there so people could read it and take action also. If you were a parent you would know that we didn’t get to know about the incident until after school. Not before or during so that doesn’t help us be able to show or tell our children to keep an eye out and always be cautious. It’s sad to even say that we have to do that at all and worry about this at all with our kids going to learn and being in school. They should be well protected and this should be a safe place for them to learn.
Don’t let this hide the fact Tom Brady led the patriots to the greatest comeback of all time in Super Bowl 51. Fred Ortiz Anastacio Cardenas
Pray for the students and staff to be protected and that all plans for harm would be revealed to the proper authorities.
This is a serious thing, and I have to do a survey to read what’s happening? Please just stop 😑
People want metal detectors and also want everyone’s lockers, cars, and students searched. Who exactly is paying for that?? That takes man power and MONEY. Anyone offering to finance more security?? Or pay to have metal detectors put in??
And preschools within a short vicinity!!
Actually do something? If you (falsely) believe that FPD and the school aren’t doing anything, you should call and complain to them, not Vent to Flagscanner.
It’s time the police and school actually do something and take action. Metal detector in our high schools. If it’s that serious well take it to the next level. Our students our kids and our nieces and nephews sisters and brothers are at stake. Check the kids for any weapons before entering school not only that staff and other adults to. I rather them be safe. It’s to protect them.
This is crazy. You have 3 main schools in that area. Do something this is one note to many. Take action maybe we don’t need more student housing in flagstaff maybe we need more security in all of our schools. Come on flagstaff. This is our next generations.
They have compared the hand writing, and it has been different. Although that’s really not a conclusive fact. Anybody could change their hand writing from one note to the next.
This should definitely be taken seriously….. but the anniversary of Columbine falls on 4/20, national smoke weed day. Have they investigated into kids doing this as a “joke” so parents won’t send their kids to school on 4/20 and kids can go get high? It is not funny at all. I went to Flag High, and have lived in Flagstaff my whole life, and 4/20 is a largely celebrated day. It is just a thought.
Oh dang dude I’ve been seeing that
Elizabeth Wesolek 4???
Adriana Ulibarri
Do a random check, check lockers, check students, check cars! This should not be taken lightly! Can they compare the handwriting?! Is it similar?! If it is you know it’s the same person, if not your dealing with more then 1