Police: Note by freshman didn't mention plans to shoot

A Cape Girardeau high school freshman accused of making a terrorist threat said Tuesday he had no intention of killing anyone.

The 15-year-old boy was cited into juvenile court Friday for writing notes to two female schoolmates warning them that someone else was planning a shooting at school. Authorities have found no evidence that any such plan existed.

"Because after I get done w/the Bastard shooting, they'll need a body bag," the note read, adding that the comment was a gag.

On Monday, police spokesman Jason Selzer told the Southeast Missourian the student said he would shoot the alleged gunmen, but Tuesday Selzer said that was only how he interpreted the note.

"I shouldn't have said the method. I should've just said the result," he said.

While the boy's note alluded to deaths, he said Tuesday that he only wanted to injure any alleged shooters severely enough so they would not be able to hurt anybody.

The boy's father, Don Howard, said while he did not condone his son's note, he stressed all his son wanted to do was warn his schoolmates and intervene in any possible shooting. "What he did was distasteful, yes. Criminal, no," Howard said.

The student said he heard about schoolmates planning a shooting and told school authorities. When he did not see any action take place, he said, he wrote the notes.

Instead of passing notes to friends, Selzer said, a student who may have heard about a possible shooting should go to people in authority. The boy never went to the school resource officer or the police department, Selzer said.

Should anyone carrying a firearm enter a school, Selzer warned, students should not put themselves in a situation where they could be injured.

"We're never going to recommend that a juvenile run up and take a gun away from somebody when they're not in immediate danger," he said. In a life-threatening situation, though, he did say students should do whatever they can to protect themselves.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127