WILLMAR — A Willmar Middle School student was found to have a toy gun in their possession Wednesday morning.
The student told other students they had a weapon and threatened to use it at school, Superintendent Jeff Holm said in an emailed statement Wednesday afternoon.
The other students alerted administrators who investigated and found that the student had a toy gun.
“We take this situation very seriously and will issue the appropriate disciplinary action, per district policy,” Holm said in the statement. “Because this situation involves a student, we cannot share further details at this time.”
Holm thanked the students who reported the potential threat.
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“Students are encouraged to speak with a teacher or staff member right away if they find themselves in a similar situation in the future,” he said in the statement.
In an interview later, Holm said, “I’m confident everything was handled well by the staff and administration, and I’m just glad everyone is safe.”
He’s also glad the kids at the Middle School knew what to do when they heard talk of a weapon.
“That’s a big key to school safety is having people say something if they suspect any kind of violent behavior is likely to happen,” Holm said. “Many times when the worst happens, the people who engage in those horrible acts have made their plans known, and people maybe have chosen not to take action."
The school district keeps reviewing its processes and response plans, he said. This summer, administrators plan to undergo training in a different emergency response system, to decide if it would be a good fit for Willmar’s schools.
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