An investigation into a threat made against Grayson County High School has led to a multi-agency intervention involving firearms and other illegal activity.
On Wednesday, the Leitchfield Police Department began investigating a potential school threat made via Snapchat.
“The suspect(s) were rapidly identified through a prompt response from Snapchat and investigators immediately began developing the appropriate tactical plan to apprehend the suspects in such a way to ensure public safety, officer safety, as well as the safety of all persons at the target location,” LPD Det. Sgt. Ian Renfrow.
Due to sensitive intelligence provided by Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, it was determined that a safe operation could not be conducted without additional resources.
As a result, LPD received assistance from Kentucky State Police, the ATF and FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service as well as the Louisville Metro Police Department.
“Two individuals were placed under arrest outside of the target location for second-degree terroristic threatening. This charge is specifically in reference to the threat made against Grayson County High School,” Renfrow said.
At this time, police are not releasing the identities of the people arrested “due to possible infringement upon further investigations,” according to Renfrow.
Renfrow, though, did confirm one adult was arrested in connection to the cellular device and potential facilitation and knowledge of the school shooting threat.
“Through the investigation,” Renfrow stated, “we believe that the threat was made by a single juvenile individual with no known co-conspirators within Grayson County Schools. Police were able to identify an extremely low expectation that the juvenile would be present at any Grayson County schools on Thursday morning. Grayson County Schools were very cooperative and instrumental in providing appropriate intel to assist in our security plans for the day.”
Additional search warrants were executed on a property at the corner of South Lonnie Lane and Newton Lane in Millwood. LPD, along with Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force and ATF seized controlled substances, electronic devices, and several hundred firearms from .22 caliber to .50 caliber rifles.
Numerous handguns were recovered, as well as firearm parts used to manufacture AR-15s in multiple calibers.
“Evidence suggests that the juvenile had access to these firearms,” Renfrow said. “Further investigation is ongoing into federal and state level violations. LPD will release more information as is necessary and becomes available.”
The following is a statement issued by Renfrow regarding the ongoing investigation:
“As always, we will do our part to investigate these threats with tenacity and integrity. Our investigators have put numerous hours into this investigation and have numerous hours to go. As parents, and Grayson County citizens ourselves, we understand the desire to be informed. We carry deep concern for all of the children in Grayson County Schools and the staff. However, in a scenario such as this, all of our resources are exhausted on the investigation, planning, and security of our schools first. We would love to inform you at each step in our investigation, but we must maintain integrity in our investigation, safety for the public and all officers involved, as well as refrain from adding to public panic in an unnecessary way.
“LPD would like to thank every agency that assisted this week and those who have committed to assisting for the duration of the investigation. We would also like to thank our county attorney for his response and real time legal counsel as this operation developed throughout the day.
“We understand that additional social media posts are circulating, and we encourage students to continue reporting them to staff and our SRO’s. We are attempting to follow up with each threat as it is reported and working with multiple agencies to vet each report to see if it directly involves our schools or if the post originated in our county. At this time, we have not identified any current threat to our schools or our community.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
