14-year-old charged with making terrorist threat against Kendall school

Posted 3 June 2022 at 4:44 pm

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

KENDALL – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has made several arrests related to threats of violence at the Kendall School District.

On Wednesday, May 25th, at approximately 1:15 p.m. students advised a Kendall Central School administrator of a direct threat made to the school district via social media by a student at the district.

The school administrator immediately requested School Resource Deputy James White respond to the Kendall High School from the Elementary School. Upon the SRD’s arrival, the school administrator advised the school resource deputy of the threat made.

White immediately notified the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office command staff. Within minutes of the school resource deputy being notified, the 14-year-old student was retrieved, detained and pat-searched by the SRD, with school personnel present.

School personnel immediately searched the juvenile’s backpack, and school locker for any weapons – none were located. Within minutes of the SRD being notified, 10 additional Sheriff’s Units/Investigators/Command Staff along with State Trooper Kevin Bentley arrived to provide security and continue the investigation at the school and the residence of this individual.

The investigation resulted in the juvenile being charged with Making a Terroristic Threat, a Class D Felony. As a result of the investigation, and a search of the residence, it was determined that the parents were not forthcoming with law enforcement.

Several weapons, ammunition, computers and phones were seized. The juvenile was taken to Strong Hospital in Rochester under the mental hygiene law for an evaluation. Following his release, the juvenile reported to the Sheriff’s Office and was issued an appearance ticket to appear immediately at the Orleans County Probation Department for intake.

The Orleans County Probation Department filed the petition in Family Court charging this individual with section 490.20 (1) of the Penal Law- Making a terrorist threat. The juvenile was subsequently arraigned before Judge Sanford Church and released to the custody of his parents and is set to return to court within a week.

Both parents were arrested and charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child based on the investigation into this incident.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office takes any threats to cause harm to children in schools and anyone else for that matter very seriously. We will aggressive investigate any threats and arrest anyone engaged in this behavior with the intent to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

I would like to thank the Kendall School District for their swift and decisive actions that allowed our School Resource Deputy to have this individual detained within minutes of becoming aware of the threat.