An eighth-grade student in Kenosha is facing a charge of making terrorist threats after police say the juvenile used the chat app Discord to talk about killing a classmate and "shooting up" Lance Middle School. School staff learned of the online messages on Monday but initially decided the threat did not seem credible, according to police. Officers later searched the student's home and reported finding no weapons, and the student has been suspended from the district while the case is investigated.
What police say
Kenosha police told reporters the student used Discord to threaten a classmate and to carry out an attack at Lance Middle School, and the juvenile has been charged with making terroristic threats, according to WISN 12. Police said school staff first learned of the messages on Monday but did not immediately contact authorities because they did not believe the threat was credible. Investigators later executed a search warrant at the student's home and said no weapons were recovered.
School response and the campus
Lance Middle School is part of Kenosha Unified and serves grades 6 through 8. The district lists the campus on 80th Street on its official site, and federal education records show the school enrolls roughly 900 students, which means any threat has the potential to disrupt a large number of families. The district's Lance Middle School page provides contact details and location information, but officials have not posted a detailed public notice about discipline beyond confirming the student was suspended.
Investigation and next steps
The Kenosha Police Department said detectives will keep working the case while juvenile court procedures determine whether formal petitions are filed, according to WISN 12. Prosecutors will decide how to proceed in juvenile court, where many records and hearings are confidential. Police have declined to publicly identify the student, citing privacy rules that protect juveniles.
Broader context in Kenosha schools
The case arrives after a string of recent safety scares that have kept Kenosha school leaders and law enforcement on edge. On Feb. 11, officers removed a loaded firearm from a student at Bradford High School, as reported by Wisconsin Public Radio. In a separate incident, school staff were credited with keeping a suspicious teenager from entering an elementary school, according to People. Those episodes have prompted officials to repeat calls for students, parents and staff to report red flags and use established threat assessment systems.
Legal implications
Making terroristic threats can carry serious consequences under state law. Wisconsin courts interpret Wis. Stat. § 947.019(1) as describing circumstances that elevate a threat to a Class I felony when it is intended to cause an evacuation, trigger public panic or interrupt government functions, as outlined in a Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision summarizing the statute. Juvenile cases are handled in juvenile court and can lead to delinquency findings, court-ordered services or other sanctions, depending on the evidence and on how prosecutors choose to proceed. Local attorneys note that outcomes often hinge on the totality of the circumstances and what investigators are able to verify.
District leaders say they are working with police and reviewing safety procedures at the campus. This story will be updated as officials release more information.
