Michigan State Police, Lakeshore schools discuss ongoing safety concerns

STEVENSVILLE, Mich. — Just as Lakeshore students were starting their school week back up after threats shut their buildings down last week, more security concerns were reported Monday night. 

“Later in the day we found a note in our high school bathroom, then a second threat reported later on that night, a middle school student had overheard another student say they had a gun in their backpack,” said Superintendent Greg Eding.

That moved everyone to remote learning Tuesday, but then early Wednesday morning, Lakeshore was contacted about another threat. 

“At about 1 a.m., Michigan State Police received a tip there was a threat reported that indicated a student was going to shoot up our school on 12/15, which is a date that has been referenced recently in other school threats in our area,” said Eding.  

The district made the call to have everyone stick with remote learning the rest of the week. 

Michigan State Police is working around the clock to look into tips sent through their anonymous Ok2Say line.

“I have children at home in school, I have to have the same conversation as other parents,” said Spl/Lt. DuWayne Robinson, Public Information Officer for Michigan State Police Fifth District. 

But with school environments getting tense with the increasing concerns, they’re trying to get ahead of any new threats. 

“We also want to be a preventative voice and that means getting into schools and talking with kids about being responsible with how they express frustration and thinking through situations,” said Lt. Robinson.