Your Voice Your Vote 2024

Live results
Updated: Nov. 8, 12:27 AM ET

National Election Results: presidential

republicans icon Projection: Trump is President-elect
226
301
226
301
Harris
69,045,974
270 to win
Trump
73,360,073
Expected vote reporting: 92%

'Narrowly missed a tragedy': Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school

The suspect had a backpack and duffel bag, police said.

November 7, 2024, 10:24 PM

Authorities in Wisconsin say an armed 13-year-old carrying a backpack and duffel bag was stopped from entering an elementary school Thursday morning after being confronted by school staff and taken into custody several hours later.

"We narrowly missed a tragedy," Kenosha Police Chief Patrick D. Patton told reporters Thursday.

The 13-year-old, who previously attended Roosevelt Elementary School, attempted to enter the building at about 9 a.m. local time, Patton said.

The suspect tried to enter through other doors to the school building, but was not able to get in, Kenosha Unified School District Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss told reporters at a news conference. He then approached the front entrance and was buzzed into a vestibule area. Two school employees confronted the student, who got nervous and then fled, Weiss said.

"I can't stress … really how heroic our office staff was," Weiss said, adding "They helped avert a disaster."

Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school
Kenosha Police Department

Police later identified the teen suspect, thanks to tips from the community.

"We can confirm that this was not just a suspicious individual, we believe that this was actually an armed suspect with a firearm and there was no legitimate reason to enter the school," Patton said at a later news conference.

Police took the suspect into custody shortly after 2 p.m. local time. During the earlier news conference, police played a video they said depicted the suspect with a firearm and said the suspect looked up school shootings online and made comments to fellow students for weeks leading up to the incident.

Kenosha is located about 40 miles south of Milwaukee.

Related Topics