School threats made at Sinagua Middle School

March 16th, 2018 at 5:35 PM

Today, 3-16-18, Staff from Sinagua Middle School reported a threatening note was found in a girl’s bathroom inside the school. The note threatened to burn the school down. The school was placed in lockdown and the Flagstaff Police Department responded to ensure the school was safe and investigate. Investigators learned the identity of a suspect who attends the school admitted responsibility for writing the note.

While the investigation was being conducted and the person claiming responsibility was detained, a fire was started in a boy’s bathroom inside the school using toilet paper. Staff members located the fire quickly and extinguished it. Investigators are continuously investigating to locate the party or parties responsible for starting this fire.

While the initial person was detained, a second note was found inside another girl’s bathroom threatening a school shooting during the 12:00 o’clock hour. This note is not believed to be written by the same person responsible for the first note. This incident is currently under investigation and all available leads are being investigated.

At the current time the school and students have been released and will be closed throughout next week for spring break.

If you have any information or leads in reference to this report please contact the Flagstaff Police Department at (928)774-1414 or Silent Witness at (928)774-6111.

Never see a survey, ad, or pop up again while viewing articles. Plus other awesome benefits when you subscribe to the FLAGscanner Premiere membership.

Click here to signup

NEVER MISS ANOTHER FLAGscanner POST!

Subscribe to a Daily Digest of all our Alerts and Arrest Reports. You'll receive one email at the end of the day that contains a list of all the days posts including the arrest report.

39 thoughts on “School threats made at Sinagua Middle School”

  1. A Shelter in Place” is called when the threat is outside the building. An animal on the grounds or criminal activity in the neighborhood.

    A “lockdown “ is called when there is a threat inside the building.

    I was there.
    We were told to “Shelter in Place” twice. Never to lockdown. I assured my students that were a bit more than concerned that there was nothing to worry about.
    The threat was obviously out of the building.
    They were allowed to change classes when the bell rang.
    We were told to limit bathroom visits, but they could still go if it was an emergency. I didn’t let my students go to the bathroom. I even called the office when the bell rang to make sure they were supposed to be let out to change classes.

    I unknowingly lied to my students when I assured them there was nothing to worry about. If they were in danger, I said, we would be on lockdown.

    I had no idea notes or a fire were found. I was simply told to shelter in place. Keep
    Doors closed but not locked. I honestly assumed the threat was outside of the school. When I got home and saw the reports that FUSD, Sinagua Middle School, Flag PD and Flagscanner were saying I couldn’t believe we weren’t put on lockdown.
    I still can’t.

    I wanted to know who wrote that press release. The press doesn’t make up their own story. Information from those there at the scene release facts to the media. They simply repeat it.

    I didnt sleep that night. It still bothers me, obviously.

  3. Tari Popham then you should redact your comment above insisting it was “the media” that wrote this. Regardless, I will call Karen today and get clarification. I will report back with what she says.

  5. Tari Popham then why did it come to us from Karen at FUSD? Also, I suggest you visit the FUSD Facebook page. The exact press release was posted by FUSD on their page.

  6. Tari Popham it’s was sent to us from Karen Eberhard, the public relations director of FUSD. She and Sgt. Cory Runge of FPD both signed it. They wrote the article word for word. Nothing was added by the media. We simply cut and pasted the entire press release from them.

  13. Amy Gunning-Canady idk what the deal is about the calls but I’m sure lots of parents did not get it.. I get the calls about everything else but not the emergencies..

  14. I was upset I didn’t get a call or any notification at all. I would not expect them to be able to do so while handling the situation but as soon as it is over maybe, not after our children are already home and have already told us what happened. I also would think that the students should be told something at least. Like just explain to them this is not a drill, we found some notes making threats and we have to take them seriously, if you know anything about that that could assist us please let a teacher know and if you see anything unusual happening please let us know but for the time being we do have police officers on campus to make sure everything is safe. My daughter would have felt much safer hearing that then just wondering why they were being rushed from class to class in hallways full of police officers. So sad children have to live this way😞

  17. Ok so by your logic Monica, the principal should explain in detail what us going in, while its going on? Or shortly thereafter when PD could still be working on piecing it all together? Hmmmmm. Seems like that’d be asking a school rep to draw their attention away from the issue in front of their face

  18. People this is social media. Just like all media, they make stuff up to get you all worked up. I trust the principal and how they go about the procedures. Maybe those upset parents should get together and see how to help get things done instead of bitching. I haven’t heard one word about parents volunteering to address this! And yes you can all message me. I’ll be calling or going to see where I can help my students school instead for running to another school across the street that will also be on lock down, shelter in place, lock out or whatever else! Let’s work together as a community!

  20. Thank you to the school, the teachers and Mrs. Popham for all you do for our kids. I know you get a lot of heat but please understand that this parent supports you and appreciates you. Mrs. Popham

  26. In a shelter ? My daughter was in a class room.. she said that they went on lock down 3 times today but she did not know what was going on.. then at the end of the day they let her go home but that was it. She didn’t know anything

  29. Monica J. Franke I didn’t know anything till my daughter got home but she said it was lock down but nothing else she had no idea what was going on..

  30. Holly Magee I am so sorry😢. I feel so badly for you parents, the last of my 3 boys graduated in 2009. I can’t imagine the HELL you are going through. I am feeling my friend’s anger today. She’s very upset & feels lied too.

Comments are closed.