14-year-old arrested for threatening to commit 'catastrophe' at Pennsylvania school
UNIONTOWN, Pennsylvania -- A 14-year-old boy was arrested and weapons including a semi-automatic rifle and throwing knives were seized from his home after an alleged threat to shoot other students at a Pennsylvania high school, authorities said Friday.
State police in Fayette County say the weapons were found in the teenager's bedroom Thursday night in Henry Clay Township after authorities learned of the threat allegedly made on a school bus against four Uniontown Area High School students.
"He just didn't like them. That's what he said, he didn't like them. What a reason to do something," District Attorney Rich Bower said Friday about the suspect's motive.
The teen faces juvenile court charges of terroristic threats and causing or risking a catastrophe.
Bower said police found a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, two machetes, throwing knives, two lever-action rifles, a revolver, and a crossbow with arrows and bulk ammunition.
Uniontown police and state police were in every district school Friday morning, and a state trooper was stationed on the school bus where the alleged attack was discussed, Bower said. Trooper Robert Broadwater said students were checked with hand-held metal detectors as they entered school buildings.
The student who reported the alleged threats wasn't involved in the conversation but "took appropriate action right on the bus ... by recording it," Bower said.
"Fortunately, nothing occurred, nobody got hurt," he said.
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