Police respond to East Jay incidents (03/22/07)

Portland police were called to East Jay Middle School by school officials twice this week for two separate incidents in which bullets were found on the floor of the school and another in which a threatening letter was discovered.

On Tuesday afternoon, school officials confiscated a letter written by a EJMS female student, Portland Police Chief Bob Sours said this morning. This letter named several students and talked about intentions to harm them, Sours added. The female was suspended from school for 10 days and her parents were advised by Jay County Probation Department officials, who were called to the school, to seek a mental evaluation for the student.

Jay Schools Superintendent Tim Long would not comment on this situation besides saying the student is involved in due process.

In an unrelated issue on Wednesday morning, the school was put on lockdown for less than an hour at around 11 a.m.

During a lock down, students are not allowed out of the school and no one is allowed to enter the school, Long said.

He added this morning that police were called by school officials after three .22-caliber bullets were found on the floor in a hallway. Police assisted school officials in searching lockers in the school.

"There was no gun," Sours added.

School officials planned to take administrative action towards a female student they believe was responsible for bringing the bullets to school, Sours said. The student was not detained by police.

"We take this matter very seriously... We feel that the building is safe at this time and the investigation is continuing," Long said this morning.[[In-content Ad]]