WINTHROP – A Northern Iowa man, apparently upset with a school official, allegedly made a threat and was tracked down and arrested by police.
The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office received a call at approximately 9:45 AM on April 11, 2024, from the East Buchanan Community School District in Winthrop reporting that a male was upset with school administration following a conversation via telephone. The male reportedly made threatening comments to a school administrator, and those comments were specifically directed at that particular school administrator and did not involve any other staff or students. However, for the safety of everyone, the school was put into lockdown at that time (9:45 AM) and a call was made to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded and initiated an investigation.
The male did not physically go to the school and was later located at a residence in the 700 block 6th Street NE in Independence, Iowa, where he was taken into custody without incident. The male is identified as James Michael Toms (pictured at top), 28, of Independence.
Toms is charged with one count of third degree Harassment (simple misdemeanor).
Subsequently, the school lockdown was lifted at approximately 10:30 AM.
