HENDERSON, Colorado — Belle Creek Charter School has been closed for two days following multiple school threats, leading to one arrest.
The Commerce City Police Department (CCPD) arrested a juvenile in connection with an initial threat made on Oct. 4. In an email to parents, Belle Creek stated the threat targeted staff members at random.
In the email, school leaders also said, "The police have shared with us that the individual was not connected to Belle Creek and had chosen staff at random."
With the threat supposedly gone, the school planned to resume class on Oct. 6. However, parents received a phone call at 5 a.m. to learn that class would be canceled for the second consecutive day.
"I know the staff would do everything to keep the kids safe, but there is only so much you can do in certain situations. So it’s really scary not knowing, it’s the not knowing that is frustrating," said Dani Gonzales, who has two children at Belle Creek.
Gonzales and other parents we spoke to feel like there hasn't been enough transparency about what the threats involved and the details surrounding them.
"I need more honesty; I need more detail," said Gonzales. "I don’t need to know everything. I don’t need to know who this person is. I need to know what they are saying, and if my kids are endanger and I don’t know that."
Police would not say what charges the juvenile was arrested on, but say this is an ongoing investigation.
On Oct. 12, the CCPD said Belle Creek staff members received another anonymous threat via school email. A juvenile was identified as a suspect in this most recent threat, and has been arrested.
"The Commerce City Police Department recognizes the frustration parents have with regard to the lack of information released," the department said in a release. "Juveniles are offered additional protection under the law that prohibits a public entity from releasing certain information. Additionally, this investigation is ongoing and the release of specific details could easily hamper the efforts of our detectives. There has been no information discovered by detectives that indicates Belle Creek Charter School students or staff are in immediate danger."
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