School Threat - Sault Area High School

Tuesday afternoon, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department responded to the Sault Area High School for a threat made towards the high school. School leadership reported they had found a threatening message written on a bathroom wall. The threat suggested acts of violence with a firearm towards those at the high school.

Sault PD detectives and school officials immediately launched an investigation into the threat. A suspect was developed and investigators took that person into custody this evening. The suspect is a 14-year-old student at Sault High School. The suspect has since been lodged at the Sault Tribe Detention Facility on the charge of “Making Terrorist Threat”, which for an adult is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $20,000, or both. We will not be releasing the suspect’s name.

In recent months, threats made towards schools in both the lower and upper peninsulas have skyrocketed. As stated before, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department and the Chippewa County Prosecutor’s Office absolutely cannot and will not tolerate these types of actions or behaviors. Rest assured, we will investigate and prosecute anyone and everyone who makes threats, allows threats, or facilitates threats towards the students, staff, or the buildings of our schools. Parents and guardians, please talk to your children and teach them that ALL threats, even those made idly, are wrong, dangerous, and cannot be tolerated.

Press release was submitted by Chief Wesley L. Beirling, Sault Ste. Marie Police Department