Roeland Park Police say a Bishop Miege High School student has been “permanently removed” from the school after posting a racist threat on social media last week.
Last Monday night, administrators at the private Catholic high school learned about the post shared in a Snapchat group, which reportedly suggested someone was going to shoot Black students at the school.
Roeland Park Police conducted an investigation into the threat along with Kansas City, Mo., Police, concluding, in part, that no shooting was actually planned.
One student ‘altered’ Snapchat post
- In a statement over the weekend, Roeland Park Police Chief John Morris said one student had been identified as the person to “alter the postings with the threats and altered verbiage.”
- Bishop Miege administration did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment to confirm what discipline any student at the school faces following the threat.
- “We will continue to support Bishop Miege High School and the KCMOPD as needed,” Morris’ statement read. “Students’ safety and well-being are and will remain the top priority now and always.”
We will continue to support Bishop Miege High School and the KCMOPD as needed. Students’ safety and well-being are and will remain the top priority now and always.” -Roeland Park Police Chief John Morris
— Roeland Park, KS (@RoelandParkKS) January 27, 2023
No evidence any shooting was planned
- Morris said the Snapchat threat “included racial and antisemitic verbiage.”
- The Kansas City Star reported that screenshots showed a Snapchat message “warning Black students to ‘watch out’ because ‘im gonna bring a gun to school and shoot of these cotton pickers.’”
- Morris also said in his statement “there was no factual evidence that a shooting was going to take place.”
KCPD will finish the investigation
- Morris said KCPD is “working on concluding its investigation” and that if criminal charges are filed, then it would fall under KCPD’s jurisdiction.
- Donna Drake, a KCPD public information officer, told the Post via email the agency “routinely will comply with requests from outside agencies to assist with their investigations and vice versa.”
- The investigating agency is decided based “on where the actual offense took place,” Drake said.
- When asked about whether the Miege threats took place in Kansas City, Drake said “there is no further information available on an active investigation.”
Local officials speak out about threat
- Recently appointed Roeland Park Mayor Michael Poppa expressed his appreciation for the city’s police department through the investigation.
- Poppa called the threats “senseless hate messages” and said “there is no room for this type of behavior or hate in our community.”
- Former Roeland Park mayor and current Johnson County chair Mike Kelly also weighed in, saying he was “disturbed and saddened” by the incident.
Go deeper: Local groups give call to action after Miege threat
