A 15-year-old Fond du Lac resident is now sitting in county secure detention after police say online statements referencing a possible mass shooting triggered an investigation that reached from the FBI's national threat center to a tipster located outside the United States. Detectives searched the teen's home, seized multiple firearms along with a computer and cell phone, and have referred charges of terrorist threats and disorderly conduct to Fond du Lac County Human Services Youth Justice for consideration.
An Overseas Tip Sets Off the Investigation
According to washingtoncountyinsider.com, the Fond du Lac Police Department received information on October 26 from state and federal law enforcement about a possible serious threat of violence tied to the teen. The report included online statements attributed to the juvenile that referenced a potential mass-shooting incident, the outlet reported. Police said the tip originated from an individual outside the United States who had grown concerned about online interactions with the teen.
Per the same account, that initial report was submitted to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center before being shared with Fond du Lac police through the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation. FOX6 News Milwaukee reported that the department also communicated with the FBI, DCI, and law enforcement partners outside the United States as the case developed, and that detectives reviewed prior contacts involving the teen while assessing the level of risk to the community.
Search Warrant Turns Up Guns, Devices
The day after the initial report, on October 27, detectives executed a search warrant at the teen's home. Investigators seized multiple firearms, a computer and a cell phone during that search, the station notes. Computer forensic investigators have since been analyzing those electronic devices, working to verify the information and determine the context, credibility and extent of the reported threat, according to dailydodge.com.
On November 3, detectives conducted an additional interview with the teen. The juvenile was then evaluated by Fond du Lac County Human Services Youth Justice social workers and placed at the Fond du Lac County Secure Detention Facility, the same account states. Police said they worked with the FBI, the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, international law enforcement partners, Fond du Lac County Human Services Youth Justice, and the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office throughout the investigation.
Charges Referred, Investigation Still Active
Fond du Lac police referred one count of terrorist threats and one count of disorderly conduct to Fond du Lac County Human Services Youth Justice for consideration, the department said. Police described the investigation as active and said no additional identifying information about the teen will be released because the case involves a juvenile.
Fond du Lac has dealt with threatening statements involving students before. In January 2017, a 17-year-old Fond du Lac High School student was charged with felony terrorist threats after a note threatening to shoot up the school was found in a hallway, according to fdlreporter.com. Investigators determined that note was not credible, though police still stepped up security at the school the next day. A separate social media threat against Fond du Lac high schoolers was likewise found to be non-credible, as reported by fox11online.com.
No determination about the credibility of this month's reported threat has been disclosed, and police have not said whether the seized firearms belonged to or were accessible to the teen. The referrals to Youth Justice are not a final charging decision. Fond du Lac police are continuing to encourage community members to report threats, concerning behavior, or information suggesting potential violence as the investigation continues.
