Clay County Attorney may file charges following Barnesville school threat

Law enforcement officials investigating a threat at a Barnesville school on Thursday say they have found the student responsible for the incident.

According to the Barnesville Police Department, a principal with the Barnesville school district notified police that school officials had received an email threatening violence against students and staff.

Police began investigating with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and increased a law enforcement presence at the school for the remainder of the day.

With the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s help, police said law enforcement officials were able to identify the person responsible for the email. The male high school student was found at school and was questioned by police.

During their investigation, law enforcement officials determined the student “had no means to carry out the threats and was not a threat to the public,” according to the police department.

Police said the case is being forwarded to the Clay County Attorney’s Office for potential criminal charges.

The investigation is ongoing.

Police provided the following statement Friday: “The Barnesville Police Department’s mission is to have an active presence in our schools and continues to collaborate with school staff to ensure that student and staff safety remains a priority.”

The student’s name and age weren’t released.