Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the help of the public, and especially students, to track down the person responsible for writing a school threat last week at Varsity Lakes Middle School.
Last Friday morning, school officials at Varsity Lakes Middle, located at 801 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres, were alerted about a threat of violence written on the wall in the boys bathroom. The threat implied an act of violence on 8/28/19. Detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Services Unit were immediately called upon to investigate the threat, which has since been deemed as non-credible. However investigators and School Resource Officers are hoping that someone will have the bravery to come forward and share information about the student who wrote the threat.
“There is zero tolerance for any student who makes a threat on any school campus,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator. “We hope that parents will have the conversation with their children about the seriousness of making these kinds of threats and the consequences that will follow. We also hope that students will do the right thing and report what they know – while remaining 100 percent anonymous.”
Earlier this year, in February, a student at Varsity Lakes Middle School was arrested and charged with a felony crime for making a threat of school violence.
Even though last week’s threat was deemed non-credible, extra law enforcement resources will be on campus at Varsity Lakes Middle tomorrow.
Anyone with information on the person who wrote the school threat is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000. Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or on the P3Tips mobile app.