9OYS Crime Watch
Sabino High School ramps up security amid shooting threats
Reporter: Justin Schecker, Cory Marshall
Web Producer: Mekita Rivas
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Sabino High School students and parents were on alert Wednesday morning, following threats of a possible school shooting set for Halloween.
On Monday, Sabino's principal sent a letter to parents informing them of the threat. The school said a student said he would dress up as a serial killer on Halloween.
Deputies said they also heard the student say, "You are all going to die."
The district suspended the 14-year-old freshman, but Pima County Sheriff's deputies went one step further and arrested him. He's now facing a felony charge of interfering with an educational institution.
Despite these efforts, parents were still debating whether to send their kids to school Wednesday morning, although extra district security personnel was on hand.
Carla Massee is a Sabino High School volunteer. Two of her children graduated from the school.
"I would have sent my kid today because I felt like the threat was pretty minimal. I know they've done their do diligence. I think a lot of this was just hearsay and a lot to do about nothing." Massee said.
Not all parents agree.
"We just felt like there wasn't a lot of transparency. They could have done a better job," Sabino parent Debra Shapiro told 9OYS.
Shapiro says her daughter had a lot of reservations about attending class on Halloween.
" [There needed to be] parent involvement [and] parent conversation, just to kind of ease our minds so that we can ease our kids minds because they're still kids even though they're high school kids," Shapiro continued.
Tucson Unified School District spokesperson, Cara Rene tells 9OYS nearly 200 students called out Wednesday. It is unknown whether all absences are related to the threat.
Rene could not confirm whether the suspended 14-year-old student at the center of the security scare will be back to school next week.
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