(Photo by Nathan DeBruin, Kenosha County Eye)
A teacher at Roosevelt elementary school is being called a hero by hundreds of people on social media tonight. Keith Lowry, a 4th/5th grade teacher, confronted a 13-year-old Mahone Middle School Student who once attended Roosevelt School, at approximately 9:02 a.m. this morning.
The 13-year-old tried to enter the school through multiple locked doors before he entered a secured entryway, wearing a black backpack and holding a large black duffel bag. The suspect was intercepted by Lowry. Lowry questioned the suspect and it made the suspect “question his choices.” The suspect got nervous, started fidgeting more, turned around and left. He then fled on foot to a nearby neighborhood. Kenosha Police Department saturated the area and immediately began investigating the incident.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
“As the investigation began to unfold, we requested the assistance from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department and the Pleasant Prairie Police Department. Our social media team in tandem with Kenosha Unified, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Pleasant Prairie Police Department posted the photo of the suspect and we immediately asked for the community’s help. We received numerous tips regarding the identity and location of the person depicted in the photo. Some of those tips guided our investigation and led to the arrest of a 13-year-old Mahone Middle School Student,” said Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton at a press conference today.
“Upon verification of the suspect’s location, officers were able to successfully convince the suspect to surrender. This arrest occurred in the 6700 block of 30th Avenue. We can confirm that we received at least one video depicting the suspect holding what we believe is a firearm. We also have information that the suspect performed multiple internet searches related to school shootings prior to the incident,” Patton continued.
Immediately after Patton spoke he left and was heard telling another police officer that he was “going to the hospital to check on his partner.”
“The video [shows] the suspect walking with what we believe to be a rifle. He manipulates the rifle and appears practicing room entry techniques. It was this video coupled with some of the aforementioned information we had today that drove our massive response by law enforcement and drove our decision to hold all KUSD students in class. I also want to clear up some of the things that we had mentioned earlier – that while investigating the incident at Roosevelt School, we did respond to Gateway Technical College at 3520 30th Avenue for the report of an active shooter inside that college. There were multiple tactical units on the campus within a short period of time. Upon further investigation, we found that this call was not credible.
It was actually a gateway student sharing our media release to a family member who misinterpreted the message during our response to Gateway Technical College under the belief that there was an active shooter also inside there. One of our officers was involved in a single car accident at 30th Avenue and Washington Road, this officer sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital. His condition is currently stable and recovering.”
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
“I just want to reiterate the Chief’s comments today. If you or your children receive any type of information, something that seems out of sorts, like the video like you just witnessed, see something, say something. All of our children have heard that in their school, said Sheriff David Zoerner. “We all train. We’ve trained this response together for years. Please reach out to your children. If you hear of something, if you see something, say something to a teacher or school administrator. We need that information as soon as possible, and I promise you my agency, their agencies will react and we will follow up on [it]. I want to thank these agencies for their quick responses today, and I really appreciate the efforts of everybody.”
Sheriff Zoerner told KCE that the Sheriff’s Office, Kenosha Police Department, and the Pleasant Prairie Police Department had law enforcements officers at every school following the notification. Zoerner authorized an “all call” that orders all off-duty Deputy Sheriffs to respond immediately to a special duty. All Sheriff’s Deputies not on duty were ordered to respond from their homes to secure the schools. “It’s an unusual occurrence, but the seriousness of this situation, with a potentially armed subject targeting children, made the decision absolutely imperative. Our Sheriff’s Deputies having department-issued squad cars make this type of response possible and is invaluable to public safety,” said Sheriff Zoerner.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha Public Information Officer, Lieutenant Josh Hecker, spoke informally with the media after the press conference today and told reporters that we can expect more transparency from KPD under his watch as PIO and under Chief Patton. “We want to be more transparent. You will see this [tranaparency] more,” said Hecker.
(Photo by Nate DeBruin, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Nate DeBruin, Kenosha County Eye)
33 Responses
A 13 year old should be in school. Wonder why this kid wasn’t? Compliments to our law enforcement teams!
He had a gun. His school is probably a gun free zone so he couldn’t go there.
He missed the bus that morning
His dad was deported to Honduras. And yes, he is supposed to be attending school and unarmed.
That explains why there have only been mentions of the Mom.
Good, Trump should deport this little fuck and his whore mother back, too.
wow, do we deport citizens?
omg the sweet cat at the end of that video, walking happily up to their human who they think is safe.. when in reality this person wants to annihilate children….that makes this extra disturbing …
Many mass shooters start out by harming/ killing small animals first.
When did he hurt the cat , I missed that?
I never said that he did.
Just stating a fact of psychological profiles.
With arsonists, they are usually bed wetters
many years after they should’ve outgrown it.
Tune in next week when we profile: Premature ejaculation.
Nice work Keith! But I sure hope LE goes after his parents, a 13 year old should not have access to firearms.
should also not be wearing crocs
Tacticrocs
It looked to be an airsoft gun.
Why would a 13 year old bring a giant black duffel bag into a school he doesn’t attend? He would not take off running if his intentions were harmless. Who cares if it was an airsoft?? The whole thing is crazy and this kid needs mental help. Hope he gets it. So thankful that this didn’t happen.
Great job !
great job to kpd and all involved, hopefully are new strong non- corrupt Da will handle this and take this scum off are streets Solis show them how its done !!!!
Thank God this was stopped. Thank you Keith for standing strong and talking this kid down.
That said, All schools in this day and age shoot do a much better job of having schools Locked and secured during school activities.
And yes, trained arm security.
The signs no guns are allowed Are Bull Shit Liberal feel good garbage. By schools or Any place else. It just opens the door to the bad guys saying, hey come on in your safe to do whatever the hell you want.
Better signs Armed guards on premises and Smile your on camera.
Wait till it comes out that it wasn’t a real gun. Watch the video the muzzle isn’t correct the sounds are from an air soft gun and while racking the gun it only goes back a quarter inch. A lot of people are going to feel real stupid since the internet has so many social media journalists and law enforcement agents. I’m sure Kevin will find this info out today.
It was an airsoft. But at the time if someone doesn’t know it looks dangerous. Just like selling fake drugs. If you represent them.as something you still get the charge.
Where in my post does it say he wasn’t going to get charged with a crime?
why are people going to feel stupid? you’re still wrong. dumbass
Real or or, it’s still a act of terrorism.
Like a bomb threat.
REAL OR NOT.. HE DOESNT NEED TO BE GOING INTO A LOCKED SCHOOL WITH ANY TYPE OF GUN!
Mr. L is absolutely a hero. The you have another teacher worried about posting on Facebook just after lockdown instead of worrying about keeping the kids safe.
THIS TEACHER DESERVES THE WORLD! PROPS TO YOU FOR DOING YOUR JOB. WE NEED MORE OF YOU!
I whole heartedly agree!! Keith Lowry should receive much praise, Hell even a raise for potentially stopping a massacre! I hope to see an outpouring from the community to show Kieth how grateful we all are!
Thanks Kevin for posting this!
This guy is a hero but the second the kid started having second thoughts then I would have whipped his ass….I guess you don’t know which if these weirdos might have some bomb, though.
Great story, thank you Keith Lowry. Great photo’s from you guys. I’d really liketo see our Sheriff smile more often. Turn that frown upside down. Reminds me to much of Tampon Tim Walz constant look. We all know the Sheriff is a great guy.
Great job Kpd and Ksd! Chief Patton is a great chief of police.
This time everything came together and worked out as it should. Kudos to all who made that happen!
I find it hard to believe police officers didn’t know WHEN THEY HELD THEIR FEAR-MONGER PROVIKING PRESS CONFERENCE that the gun wasn’t real. Certainly a teacher wouldn’t necessarily recognize a toy. Certainly kids would be terrorized if they saw someone walking around with a realistic looking gun… But the police should be a source of facts, not fear-mongering. Crying wolf causes people to distrust the police and the already untrustworthy news. – Nik Clark – Chairman/President – Wisconsin Carry, Inc.
Thank you Keith Lowrey for being a real life superhero.