A principal at the Plato School District called authorities last Thursday to report a threat.
An investigating Texas County deputy spoke with the principal, who said the suspect was a 14-year-old boy. The incident reportedly began when groups of high school and middle school students were playing on the baseball field and got into an argument over a ball.
During an interview, the suspect reportedly told investigators that during the incident, he had told some of others involved that he would “shoot up the school and you four would be the first to go.” The boy’s father took the deputy to his house and showed where his guns were kept. The officer observed that each was equipped with a locking mechanism that prevents them from being used until unlocked. The man told the officer the keys to the locks were kept in a safe which is inside a lockbox, and he always carries the key to the lockbox.
A report was sent to the county juvenile office.