PONTIAC (WWJ) -- A Pontiac teen who was arrested three months
ago on the grounds of Lake Orion High School while in possession of a machete and several knives is in custody for making a threat Thursday against a student at the same school.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, the 17-year-old suspect is being held in Oakland County Children’s Village after a juvenile court referee on Friday authorized a petition against the him.
The charge is malicious use of telecommunications device/school threat.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said the teen — who is not currently enrolled at any school — was arrested at his home Friday morning by members of the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team.
It's alleged, Bouchard said, that the suspect posted a message to the social media app SnapChat stating: “It’s Open Season on Lake Orion Students.”
A student at the high school notified the school resource officer about the threat, school officials were alerted and the sender was quickly identified, according to the sheriff's office.
The teen told the authorities the threat was against a student and not the school, although officials did not release any information about why the particular student may have been targeted.
“Everyone should very clearly know at this point that we have a zero tolerance for individuals that make threats against schools or other people,” Bouchard said, in a statement. “This particular young person is already charged with bringing weapons on a school grounds and this is on the heels of that incident. I’m glad we quickly located and arrested him, helping to put the school and students at ease. I look forward to more accountability for him
from the system.”
This incident comes after the teen had two previous contacts with law enforcement.
Back in February of this year, the same suspect was arrested outside Lake Orion High School after it was reported that a suspicious person was seen dressed all in black and carrying a backpack. Sheriff’s deputies found a machete and three knives, among other items in the backpack. A warrant request on a concealed weapons charge is pending with prosecutors in that case.
On March 28, the sheriff's office said the teen was arrested on a domestic violence charge for assaulting his father. In that case, a juvenile petition was authorized.
The suspect's name has not been released, due to to his juvenile status.