Juvenile in custody, charged with felony after “threat of terrorism” leads to Aurelia school lockdown

A 13-year-old who made a "verbal threat" towards Aurelia Elementary and the Alta-Aurelia Middle School was taken into custody in Cherokee and charged with a felony following a brief school lockdown this morning. 

The school announced it was on lockdown at 10:42 a.m. on Facebook, citing a "potential threat." Students and staff resumed the school day in Aurelia around 11:30 a.m. 

"The threat was verbal and there were no indications of weapons," Flikeid told the Storm Lake Times Pilot at 12:12 p.m. "The lockdown was out of (an) abundance of caution."

Flikeid indicated that Aurelia police had a juvenile male in custody. The juvenile has been charged with making a threat of terrorism, a class D felony, according to an affidavit filed by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Department. 

“He was issued a referral to the juvenile courts and placed in detention,” Flikeid wrote in a statement around 3:40 p.m. 

The 13-year-old was transported to the Youth Emergency Services (YES) Center in Cherokee, according to the affidavit. 

Superintendent Denny Olhausen released a statement about the lockdown early this afternoon. He thanked law enforcement for handling the threat and assured that students and staff are continuing their school day “in a safe, secure and orderly manner.”

“The situation was quickly resolved and under control, and is currently in the hands of law enforcement,” Olhausen wrote in the statement. 

Olhausen confirmed that the apprehended juvenile was never at the school building.

“Thanks to the quick and decisive actions of our staff and law enforcement, a student, who was not and had not been on campus, was safely taken into custody shortly after the threat was made.”

Olhausen described the threat as one “of violence toward the staff and students of the Aurelia school building.”

The affidavit filed by the Cherokee Sheriff stated that the juvenile “made a threat to harm people at the school. 

At 10:30 a.m., staff at the Alta-Aurelia Middle School reported to Aurelia police that a 13-year-old male student had made a threat “via electronic communications,” according to Flikeid’s statement from the afternoon. The threat was “made to the school but from off the school’s campus.”

Before the lockdown concluded, officers with Aurelia police, the Cherokee sheriff and the Buena Vista County sheriff aided in locating the juvenile. Law enforcement took the juvenile into custody from an unspecified residence in Aurelia. Police didn’t locate any weapons in the home and reported that the juvenile didn’t possess any weapons. 

At this time, “the school district is not at liberty to reveal details that must remain confidential which includes personal information and the specifics of the threat,” according to Olhausen’s statement. 

It’s unclear if the school will take any disciplinary action against the juvenile student who allegedly made the threat. 

Aurelia police have said they are still investigating the incident. It’s unclear if the Cherokee Sheriff’s Department is also aiding in the investigation. 

"Staff and students are safe," said Flikeid. 

This story will be updated with any new information.