APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A 23-year-old Appleton man is behind bars after police say he threatened to shoot up a school. The Appleton Police Department arrested David Etheridge Saturday evening.
For some parents in Appleton, the arrest only added to the anxiety after the Florida horror that left 17 students dead.
John Gosling use to serve on the Appleton School board and has two daughters that grew up going to Appleton public schools. He told FOX 11…
“Every time a school shooting happens it’s a tragedy, every time violence happens in the school, sanction or unsanctioned, it hurts our society, it just keeps the violence. That’s unfortunately a part of our world.”
Sgt. Dave Lund with the Appleton Police Department said Ethridge admitted to sending the FBI an electronic message saying he would “shoot up the school.”
“There was no specific school that this individual stated that he would shoot up. However, obviously, in light of the incident this past week, this is a threat to be taken very seriously.”
The Appleton SWAT team was able to arrest Etheridge at his home on the south side of the city.
Lund says Etheridge is being held at the Outagamie County jail on a felony charge of Terrorist Threats.
“Search incident to arrest at his house did not lead to the discovery of any weapons or writing material that would indicate the type of threat that was sent electronically to the FBI. That’s why we are continuing the investigation.”
Police believe there were other messages Etheridge had sent.
Police say they had contact with Ethridge in the past involving domestic violence, property damage and disorderly activity.
Some parents applauded law enforcement’s quick action to eliminate the threat.
The Appleton Area School District did the same posting on Facebook it will continue to work closely with the Appleton Police Department to keep all students and staff safe.
Although the recent shooting can make it uneasy for parents to send their children to school, many said they trust their children are in good hands.
“I know that schools take extreme amounts of care in protecting and safeguarding entrances to protecting everybody in the building, so I’m really confident and supportive of all the school do in that regard,” said Gosling.
Etheridge is expected to be in court today.
