Crime & Safety

Police Continue to Investigate Council Rock South Threats

Police have not yet made a final determination on whether additional charges will be filed in the case involving threats of violence by a 14-year-old Council Rock South student.

Police continue to investigate a threat of violence that closed Council Rock High School South for a day in December.

A 14-year-old who threatened to bring guns to school and hurt students and staff has been charged with terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a minor.

But according to Police Chief Barry Pilla, the case remains an active investigation. “We have not yet made the final determination on whether or not we will be filing additional charges in this case,” Pilla said.

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The threats caused Council Rock School District officials to close the high school on Dec. 21.

The investigation began Dec. 20 when police said they received a report that a male student had threatened to bring a gun and knives to school and randomly kill students and staff.

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Another student overheard the threat and reported it to his parents, who then notified the authorities, police said. 

The juvenile was arrested on Dec. 20 at his residence on Cypress Avenue in Richboro. The boy's mother and father were also arrested.

School was closed the next day so officials could sweep the building to ensure it was safe for students to return. During the sweep, nothing was discovered in the school.

During the arrest, the boy’s mother, Lizabeth Donohoe, 50, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm, endangering the welfare of children, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

According to the affidavit, officers asked Donohoe if there were any weapons in the house. She told the police that her grandfather's guns were in the residence, and led them to her son's room. Police said that two 9mm handguns, fully functional but unloaded, were found on the 14-year-old's bedroom nightstand. One gun had a clip capacity of 8+1 and the other 13+1. 

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