Pierceton Kid Says Threats In Letter Were 'Just Talk'
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The Pierceton boy who allegedly threatened to shoot students at Whitko Middle School told police "it was just talk."
Jeffrey Baker, 13, reportedly told a Kosciusko County Sheriff's detective that "he really wasn't going to do anything because he didn't want to go to prison for the rest of his life," a police report stated.
Baker allegedly wrote a letter to his girlfriend saying that he and two friends "were thinking about holding the f-----g school up with guns and s--t like that. Then headin for the border."
In the letter, Baker reportedly said he had "seven accoonts on me from the cops so I might as well go for eight." The sheriff's department said they have no reports filed against Baker or proof that he had a criminal history.
Baker also allegedly threatened to shoot one boy specifically and take another for ransom. The letter said that the girl to whom it was addressed would "probably be sitting at home watchin TV and you will see" Baker and the two other boys.
Middle school officials were told about the threats when one student was afraid to go to school. The student told an adult about the rumors of the letter, and the adult called the school.
Students spread the rumor that Baker was allegedly going to shoot teachers and students in the seventh grade at a skating party Friday.
The middle school contacted the sheriff's department Thursday, and police took Baker into custody Friday.
Baker was already expelled from the middle school for unrelated problems. He is detained in the Parkview Juvenile Detention Center, South Bend. He could face a charge of intimidation against a school corporation employee, a Class D felony.
Middle school principal JoElla Smyth said that the school took special security precautions to keep staff and students safe.
The threats were taken very seriously partly because of the recent school shootings across the country, Smyth said.
The two boys who are mentioned in the letter are being investigated by the Whitley County Sheriff's Department since they are both residents of Whitley County. [[In-content Ad]]
The Pierceton boy who allegedly threatened to shoot students at Whitko Middle School told police "it was just talk."
Jeffrey Baker, 13, reportedly told a Kosciusko County Sheriff's detective that "he really wasn't going to do anything because he didn't want to go to prison for the rest of his life," a police report stated.
Baker allegedly wrote a letter to his girlfriend saying that he and two friends "were thinking about holding the f-----g school up with guns and s--t like that. Then headin for the border."
In the letter, Baker reportedly said he had "seven accoonts on me from the cops so I might as well go for eight." The sheriff's department said they have no reports filed against Baker or proof that he had a criminal history.
Baker also allegedly threatened to shoot one boy specifically and take another for ransom. The letter said that the girl to whom it was addressed would "probably be sitting at home watchin TV and you will see" Baker and the two other boys.
Middle school officials were told about the threats when one student was afraid to go to school. The student told an adult about the rumors of the letter, and the adult called the school.
Students spread the rumor that Baker was allegedly going to shoot teachers and students in the seventh grade at a skating party Friday.
The middle school contacted the sheriff's department Thursday, and police took Baker into custody Friday.
Baker was already expelled from the middle school for unrelated problems. He is detained in the Parkview Juvenile Detention Center, South Bend. He could face a charge of intimidation against a school corporation employee, a Class D felony.
Middle school principal JoElla Smyth said that the school took special security precautions to keep staff and students safe.
The threats were taken very seriously partly because of the recent school shootings across the country, Smyth said.
The two boys who are mentioned in the letter are being investigated by the Whitley County Sheriff's Department since they are both residents of Whitley County. [[In-content Ad]]