An 11-year-old boy was arrested after officials found a threatening message on the wall of a school timeout room in Rush City, Minn.
Officials declined to say what was in the message but did say the intention was to harm other students at Jacobson Elementary School in Rush City, about 55 miles north of the Twin Cities. Authorities believe the fifth-grader wrote the message last week but school officials didn't discover it until Wednesday, when they called the Chisago County Sheriff's Office.
The boy was taken to the East Central Regional Juvenile Detention Center, and the case was sent to the county attorney for possible charges.
Arresting a young child for such an offense "does happen," said Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter. "Communities are taking it seriously. … Any child 10 years of age or older can be held responsible for their conduct which is alleged to be criminal in nature."
Reiter said she can't discuss details of the case or say whether the boy has been charged, because he is a juvenile. The boy appeared in juvenile court Thursday and is scheduled to make another appearance on Feb. 6, she said.
Mary Lynn Smith
