KENOSHA, Wis. — An 11-year-old boy was taken into custody last week after allegedly threatening to bring a gun to Bose Elementary School and shoot a classmate, according to Kenosha Police.
The incident happened on April 15, and officers said that school administrators contacted them after the student made the threat during lunch. Officers responded and questioned the child at the school.
According to his mother, Torra Ratliffe, her son was held for several hours and later referred to juvenile intake for making terrorist threats. He was released into her custody the same day.
“He’s very harmless and he’s also autistic,” Ratliffe said. “I'm very aware of everything with the school shootings and these types of things but I feel like everything was still to the extreme.”
During the investigation, the 11-year-old told police he had found a gun at Columbus Park the night before and claimed he threw it away. Officers searched the park and recovered a loaded magazine under a bench, but no firearm.
A drone search and a warrant at the child’s home did not result in the recovery of a weapon.
Watch: 11-year-old student taken into custody after gun threat at Kenosha school
Ratliffe said the experience was overwhelming for her family.
“They’re not criminals,” Ratliffe said. “It was very heartbreaking, I was very upset, I was crying and it was just a lot.”
Police said the family of the other student declined to press charges.
The school is investigating the case and the district is currently on spring break and has not responded to a request for comment.
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