PERRY, IOWA – A sixth grade male student in this Iowa community recently traumatized by a horrific school shooting made an alleged joke about committing further violence at a school there, and now he is facing the consequences.
Perry, Iowa Chief of Police James Archer and School Superintendent Clark Wicks released a statement today after a student made threatening statements about committing violence in their community:
On Tuesday February 25, 2025 at approximately 6:00 p.m. the Perry Police Department received a phone call from a concerned parent, who reported that his juvenile student had reported that they, along with several other students, had overheard another 6th grade student allegedly make a threat to “shoot up the school.” This incident occurred at the Perry Elementary School playground after school had already been dismissed. Officers with the Perry Police Department responded the student’s residence and interviewed the student along with their parents. During the investigation, the student did make statements that they had made the comments, but were “joking” about it. Officers were able to search the residence for firearms and determined that there were no firearms in the home and they didn’t have any access to any weapons. Officers also learned that this same student had made similar threats in December of 2024. That incident was fully investigated by the Perry Police Department and deemed not a creditable threat at that time.
Due to the seriousness of threat and a repeated threat, the 6th grade student has been charged with one count of threat of terrorism, 708A.5, a class D felony. The student will be referred to Dallas County Juvenile Court Services.
The Perry Police Department and the Perry Community School District take any threat as a serious threat and investigate them fully. At this time, the Perry Police Department and Perry Community School District doesn’t believe there is any ongoing threat to the school, students or staff. The Perry Police Department and Perry Community School District continue to work together in keeping our community and schools safe.
The Perry Police Department will continue to fully investigate, arrest and charge anyone making threats of this nature toward our community.
A tragic, fatal school shooting occurred at Perry High School and Middle School on the morning of January 4, 2024. Three persons died and several others were hurt. Perry is about 40 miles northwest of Des Moines.