A student has been taken into custody by Millersville Borough Police in connection with the recent graffiti threats found at Penn Manor High School.
This concludes our investigation into the incident. We appreciate the support of our community over the last three days as this incident came to light and was investigated.
Below is a letter to all students at Penn Manor High School about the incident from principal Dr. Phil Gale:
Penn Manor High School students:
As many of you are aware, graffiti was discovered in a bathroom on Friday. Although it was of a threatening nature, it was deemed by both police and the school administration to not be credible. Another graffiti message was found Monday morning in another bathroom.
As a result of responsible reporting from two students this morning, the high school administration and the Millersville Borough Police Department were able to quickly determine who was responsible for both messages, and that student has been taken into custody. A pen and notebook were the only items in possession of the student.
This student made a very poor choice in making these threats. Please understand that any time there is even the simplest threat, the school and the police take it very seriously and investigate the threat until we determine that our school is safe. Everyone needs to understand that what each of us says or writes carries significant weight and may have severe consequences. Our policy is to cooperate with authorities and pursue the most significant consequences possible. You should also know that the Lancaster County District Attorney takes these threats very seriously as well. At the current time, local authorities are taking strong actions in dealing with this situation.
Ladies and gentlemen, based on how many of you have responded to this situation and what took place in Florida, you do not want our school to be an unsafe place. We have to do everything we can to make sure we have a school that is responsible and safe. We also need to be resilient in troubling times. It is not easy, but we must not let anxiety, worry or fear control us.
Please continue to support each other, report anything that is concerning and keep our school safe.
Dr. Phil Gale
Principal, Penn Manor High School
