GERMANTOWN, Wis. — A 12-year-old has been identified as a suspect in the ongoing investigation into a threatening letter sent to Kennedy Middle School, which caused the school to be placed in a “hold” last week, according to the Germantown Police Department.
In a news release Wednesday, police said the student, a 6th grader at the middle school, was identified as the sender and admitted to creating and sending the message, which read, “On June 2nd 2025, we will show up to Kennedy Middle School with an AK-47 and kill all of the teachers. We will start with the Eastside of the school, then the west. — Anonymous.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police investigate email threat against teachers sent to Germantown middle school
The message, sent to a Kennedy Middle School attendance email account in the morning, caused the school to be placed in a “hold” as a precautionary measure while law enforcement worked to assess and manage the situation after a school secretary discovered it, according to police.
Captain Penny Schmitt acknowledged that some parents questioned why their children were even allowed into the building when the threat was brought to police's attention early in the morning.
"We determined that we wanted to let school continue to go into session because of the timing and the transportation of kiddos already coming to school," she said. "We had the resources there at the school to make sure those coming to school were in a safe environment."
Police executed a search warrant a few days later, on June 6, at a residence in Germantown as part of the investigation into the threat.
"I think it's important for us to hold people accountable for their actions," Schmitt said. "When we're talking about threats to school, staff and kids, I think everyone would agree that those need to be taken very seriously, and while they need to be seriously investigated on the front end, you have to have that follow through too to make sure the processes are being handled correctly,"
Investigators linked the email to the 6th-grade student after conducting a forensic analysis of electronic devices seized during the search, which led to the discovery of a Google account used to send the threatening email.
When questioned, the student told police he was upset following a recent interaction with a teacher and did not intend to act on the threat. His parents confirmed he does not have access to any firearms at home.
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Police said the child’s family has been fully cooperative throughout the investigation and is working with both law enforcement and the Germantown School District.
A referral for the charge of terroristic threats is being submitted to Washington County Juvenile Intake, according to police.
Police emphasized that they take all threats seriously and investigate them thoroughly and swiftly, saying in part, “It’s important to understand that when a threat of this nature is received, numerous steps must be taken behind the scenes to ensure the safety of students and staff.”
The statement also added that the department’s detectives “worked diligently and continuously to identify the individual responsible and bring this investigation to a swift resolution.”
Making threats toward schools can mean serious consequences. In Wisconsin, you could be tried as an adult. If convicted, you could face up to 3½ years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
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