KENOSHA, Wis. – Kenosha police say an armed 13-year-old boy attempted to enter Roosevelt Elementary School on Thursday morning, Nov. 7, and is now in custody. He was detained around 14:00.

Just after 9 a.m. Thursday morning, a suspected suspect entered a secure area of ​​the school with a backpack, authorities said. When school personnel approached him, the man immediately fled the area and all KUSD schools were safely quarantined. Officials said this means it’s business as usual at schools, but no one can enter or leave the buildings at this time.

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Kenosha police received multiple tips that the suspect was in the area. Some of those tips led to the arrest of a 13-year-old KUSD student near 67th Street and 30th Street. Police teams arrived at the scene and convinced the young man to surrender.

Video of teenager before school incident

Investigators say they have obtained at least one video of the young suspect holding a firearm. Authorities shared a portion of this video with the media, stating that it showed the teenager “exercising entry techniques into the room.”

Authorities also said they confirmed that the teenager had done a lot of internet research about school shootings before this incident.

“The sole reason the individual was unable to gain full entry to the school was due to the swift and diligent actions of school personnel,” said Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton.

The chief said there was a report of another incident occurring at Gateway. He confirmed that this was false.

Teenager tried to get into school multiple times

Inspector Weiss stated that the teenager repeatedly tried to enter the Roosevelt, checking the doors and entrances before reaching the secure entrance.

“I really want to emphasize that, because these schools were built when schools like Roosevelt were built, they were built to get students out in the event of a fire. They were not built to withstand some of the challenges that we face today,” Weiss said.

KUSD Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss

Kenosha Mayor David Bogdala said this was a scary moment for many parents in the area.

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“What I take away from this, and I hope everyone else takes away, is that all the work and collaboration that goes into preparing for emergencies like this pays off,” the mayor said.

Kenosha Mayor David Bogdala

parent reaction

“I was so stressed,” parent Manny Murillo said. “You know I’m a little worried.”

“As a parent, you don’t really think about it at all,” said parent Estevan Cruz. “You’ll never be able to imagine after receiving this message.”

“We are grateful”

“The safety efforts we took as a district today prevented further tragedies,” Superintendent Weiss said. “Our staff and students, along with law enforcement partners, regularly review, plan and drill for incidents like the one we encountered this morning in Roosevelt. We do not take this lightly,” said KUSD Superintendent Jeff Weiss. “We are grateful to our students and staff for the secure entrance that blocked Roosevelt Elementary School’s easy access to the building. We are grateful to our staff for bravely stopping the individual and asking questions that caused the individual to question their choices and run away. We are grateful to the many people not only at Kenosha Unified but throughout the county who took action to surround our schools.” We are grateful to the police department. We are grateful to our staff who continue to work with our children, your children, and our students throughout the day. We are grateful to our families who trust us to work with law enforcement to keep their children safe, despite the fears they may face.”

State Inspector Dr. Jill Underly made the following statement:

“I am so grateful to school personnel in Kenosha for preventing a teenager with a firearm from entering the building. Their quick action protected students and ensured no one was injured. The threat of violence is real in our schools and staff must be prepared every day. The staff, led by Superintendent Weiss, were well trained; they saved lives today, helping them Much obliged.”