Police make arrest in school threat

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By Times staff | Thursday, April 17, 2008 3:50 PM CDT | () comments

WAPELLO, Iowa — Wapello police arrested a 17-year-old boy Thursday for allegedly writing a threat on a boys’ restroom wall at Wapello High School.

Brandt Ewart, 17, of Wapello was arrested on suspicion of a threat of terrorism, a felony which carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $7,500 upon conviction.

The writing on the wall mentioned that someone would bring a gun to school Thursday and also referenced “Bam Bam.” On Wednesday, the school was searched and the students screened with a metal detector. No weapon was found.

Wapello Elementary School, which is not located on the high school property, also had uniformed officers on premises.

“We have absolute zero tolerance for this type of criminal activity,” Wapello Police Chief Wayne Crump said. “These types of students instill fear in our community as well as our students in the schools.”

A juvenile court officer will decide whether Ewart is tried in juvenile or adult court, Crump said. “We will take any threat, no matter how big or small, very seriously. We will aggressively find out who commits threats against our schools and children and those responsible will be charged.”

“We’re relieved. We’re glad this thing has been resolved,” Superintendent John Weidner said Thursday. “We are thankful for the patience and support of parents and students while we worked through this.”