Police: 12-year-old student arrested after threat against Northeast Philly school

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Parents are praising Philadelphia police for their fast work after alleged threats at a local elementary school. The student accused of those threats has been arrested and removed from the school.

It was all quiet outside the Fitzpatrick Elementary School in Northeast Philly Friday--thanks to some quick action by police and school officials dealing with a potential threat from a student at the school.

"He was arrested and charged with terroristic threats. In these cases, we take them all very seriously--investigate them," Northeast Detectives Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum said.

Parents like Jill Caprio and Charlotte Hampton sent their children to school Friday feeling reassured about their safety after police arrested a 12-year-old student who allegedly made two threats in recent weeks targeting the school on April 20th, which is the anniversary of the Columbine School shooting in Colorado.

"A student making some verbal threats and referring to Columbine and shooting up Fitzpatrick School," Lt. Rosenbaum said.

Police tell FOX 29 both verbal threats were investigated and the juvenile was arrested after the second threat was reported last Friday. He has gone through the family court system and is being psychologically evaluated. No guns were found at his home.

"We would never want something to happen here that has happened in other parts of the country," Lt. Rosenbaum said.

City school officials tell FOX 29 they take every school threat seriously and work closely with police on these matters.

"City-wide we've had dozens of these and we've made quite a few arrests on them," Lt. Rosenbaum said.

The student at Fitzpatrick was immediately and permanently removed from the school. Parents were sent a letter home on April 13th and two informational meetings with parents were held this past week to reassure them the school was safe.the student in question is also getting help.