AKRON - Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department ran a safety security check Friday at Tippecanoe Valley High School after alleged threats to students by other students became known to officials this week.

As students entered the school Friday, their bags and pockets were checked. Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine said the searches were no more intrusive than the kind of search one would encounter at a sporting event, but it was better to err on the side of safety in the matter.

"The school's been very cooperative with us," said Rovenstine. "It's appreciated what they have done. We're handling it the best we can."

Officers were at TVHS throughout the school day and the school resource officer has been investigating the alleged threats for the past three days.

"There was a lot of concern from the school and public," said Rovenstine, because the threats were made against certain students on specific dates.

"We're going to try to get to the bottom of what's been said," said Rovenstine.

According to TVHS Principal Mike Overmyer, about a week ago, a student made a "loose" comment threatening other students whom the student might want to hurt. The student allegedly has been known to making "shocking" comments in the past, but may have crossed the line this time around. The student's comments got around the school and students began telling "half-truths, no truths and innuendo," Overmyer said.

Because of the rumors, other students began telling about threats that were made toward them from other students, and students began talking about a "hit list." One of the alleged "targeted" students was supposed to have been hurt Friday.

Four students, as a precaution, were told not to be at school Friday.

Since the threats began surfacing in three separate incidents, parents contacted the sheriff's department and school voicing their concerns. The KCSD decided to investigate the matter.

"We've got some parents who were very excitable and concerned and rightly so," said Overmyer.

He said the concern grew from a relatively small matter at the beginning but after all the rumors began flying about an alleged hit list, students began to think twice.

Overmyer said the KCSD decided to conduct the security check and that he was impressed with their actions.

He said he believes the matter has made a point to the students to be careful of what they say and how serious it can be taken. Friday, he went from class to class telling students about what officials believe occurred and dispelling the rumors. "I said, 'you don't make these outlandish kind of comments,'" he said.

No bomb threats or other calls were made to the school, he said.

"Do we think that the students had any intentions (of doing anything)? No, we do not," Overmyer said, but there is no guarantee.

With the recent anniversary of the Columbine shootings and the recent shootings at the school in Minnesota, Overmyer said, "those things are out there."

TVHS students feel safe at TVHS, Overmyer said. "I think we're in a safe environment and I don't think the students had any intentions of hurting anyone." [[In-content Ad]]