APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Three people from the Wausau area were arrested Thursday after police say they were on Appleton East High School grounds with weapons.
Appleton Police Sgt Dave Lund tells WLUK the school’s resource officer was walking through the hallways at the end of the school day and noticed two people who did not appear to be students at the school.
“Came across two individuals who he didn’t recognize as being students at Appleton East High School”
After talking with the two individuals, staff went to check the parking lot of the school and found an unoccupied vehicle, not registered to be at the school. Inside the vehicle was a third individual.
The liaison officer then called for backup.
Lund said those officers spoke with the person in the car, then searched the car.
“Two handguns were found inside the vehicle. One of the handguns was loaded”
Police say a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy are being held at the Outagamie County Jail on felony charges and a 16-year-old boy is being held in secure detention.
Officials say they believe the three individuals came to the school to seek retaliation against an Appleton East High School student.
Police say there were no weapons brought inside the school and they do not believe the general population of the school was in immediate danger.
Lund credits the good work of the school liaison officer.
“Fortunately it gets back to knowing our schools knowing the population within the school and our school resource officer making that contact. Really one of those reasons that we have our school resource officers there.”
Due to the Easter holiday, there are no classes at the school today (Friday).
