Bartlesville Police are investigating threats about a shooting plot at Bartlesville High School.
Police say on Thursday morning officers responded to the high school just before 11 a.m. in reference to threats. They say school officials told officers a student had talked about ‘planning a shooting at the school.’
The student was identified as 18-year old Sammie Chavez, Chavez was not at school on Thursday and police began searching for him. Police arrested Chavez just before 5 a.m. on Friday.
Chavez faces a charge for threats to kill and is being held on $1 million bond. According to an affidavit filed Friday, the assistant principal alerted Bartlesville police about the possible threats. A student claimed he'd been in the cafeteria Wednesday and Chavez reportedly tried to recruit other students to assist him in a plan to lure other students into the school auditorium, shut the doors and shoot them. Student witnesses also reported that Chavez claimed he would place bombs by the school doors. Police believe Chaves was trying to obtain a map or blueprint of the school. He reportedly told a teacher he'd recently purchased a gun and shot it over the weekend. And, did Internet searches for rifles and machine guns.
Bartlesville School released the following statement about the incident:
“Yesterday, Bartlesville High School administrators were informed of a rumor in which a current Bartlesville High School student was planning to potentially harm students and staff at Bartlesville High School. School administrators took the information extremely seriously and informed the Bartlesville Police Department of the alleged plan.
The student alleged to be planning to harm others was not at Bartlesville High School yesterday and no students were ever ¡n danger.
"We are extremely pleased that our students were never in harm's way. I am proud of our administrative personnel who took what started out as an unsubstantiated rumor, and through their diligent work and exhaustive investigation were able to determine there could be a future threat. We appreciate the excellent relationship we have with our local law enforcement and their swift response to the information we provided them. We’ll always put the safety of the students of the Bartlesville Public School District first and foremost," stated Superintendent Dr. Gary W. Quinn.
At this time, the Bartlesville Public School District is working ¡n cooperation with the Bartlesville Police Department. The District continues to encourage students and others to inform school administrators or the Local police of any rumors of any potential act to harm students or staff. The District will make every effort to fully investigate and take every precaution to make the Bartlesville Public School District a safe environment for everyone.”
