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Published on November 13, 2024
Kenosha Community Shaken as Teen Charged for School Scare, Faces Competency EvaluationSource: Google Street View

The Kenosha community is still reeling from the events of last Thursday, when a 13-year-old boy caused terror by attempting to enter Roosevelt Elementary School under the guise of carrying a firearm. The situation, which led to an extensive search and the teen's subsequent arrest at his home, prompted a Kenosha Unified School District board meeting this past Tuesday. According to FOX6Now, this was the first opportunity parents had to confront the board and administration about the incident. One parent, Manny Murillo, spoke about the tangible fear it instilled in children, saying, "Thursday after the incident, our children did have issues, bedtime concerns that someone was going to come and hurt them or take them, so they were having issues getting back to bed."

During the court proceedings on Tuesday, the accusations against the teen led to a decision to keep him in custody, as reported by CBS58. The hearing which took place that afternoon, has thrust the district's security measures into question, with parents openly criticizing the district’s response to how the teenager was able to gain access to the school premises. Parent Elizabeth Murillo expressed her discontent at the board meeting, stating, "We know what's going on. Know that the ball was dropped. Please do something better next time."

Furthermore, the case saw a new development as the court commissioner ordered a competency evaluation for the accused teen, following indications from his defense that it might be necessary. WISN mentioned that Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton highlighted the teen's apparent fixation on school shootings, stating, "We can definitely tell he's been obsessed with looking into these type of things, repetitive searches about this type of behavior. It seems like it was something that just grew over time until he actually executed it."

While no firearms were ultimately found on the teen, the impact of his actions on the community has been profound, with many calling for better security protocols. Another parent, Christine Delgado suggested proactive measures, saying the district needs to "ask questions for anyone who's trying to get in the school buildings," as per CBS58. The school board now faces the task of reassessing their policies to prevent future scares of such a nature.