web1_TTL050217collegeFair1.jpg

Tons of high school students check out potential college choices at fair

web1_corey_mug1.jpg

Cops: Man found with heroin, cocaine

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A police investigation continues into an incident in which a Holy Redeemer High School student allegedly threatened to come to school armed with a gun on the anniversary of one of the nation&#8217;s deadliest mass shootings.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre Police on April 19 received information that a male student from Kingston had threatened to bring a firearm to school the next day, according to a report on the department&#8217;s Facebook page.</p><p>April 20 marked the 18-year anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, in which 12 students and one teacher were shot to death by two other students at the school in Littleton, Colo.</p><p>Holy Redeemer, on South Pennsylvania Boulevard in Wilkes-Barre, is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton. Diocese spokesperson Bill Genello said in a statement to the Times Leader recently that an investigation &#8220;is ongoing, and therefore no additional comment on the incident or the status of the student will be made at this time.&#8221; </p><p>Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Marcella Lendacky last week declined to say whether the threat was viable, but stated it was investigated that way to ensure the safety of students and faculty at the Catholic high school.</p><p>&#8220;Preventative extra safety measures&#8221; were taken in the following days, she said. No one has been charged and the investigation remains ongoing, Lendacky said.</p><p>Citing the open investigation, Genello said he wouldn&#8217;t comment on the specific nature of the threats or what punishment the student received.</p><p>&#8220;Since becoming aware of this matter, school officials have been cooperating with law enforcement and following the appropriate protocols,&#8221; Genello said in the statement to the Times Leader.</p><p>The day after the alleged threat appeared on social media, some parents criticized the communication between the school and parents, who were warned of the threat in a Facebook post and email sent overnight on April 19.</p><p>&#8220;Please know that the safety and security of your sons and daughters is our first priority, and that we have taken all appropriate measures to absolutely ensure that there is no immediate threat to our school community,&#8221; Principal Anita Sirak said in the post.</p><p>One parent, the father of a senior girl who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said last week that his daughter is among many students left &#8220;petrified and terrified&#8221; in the wake of the threat, which students came across on social media. He said his daughter was one of hundreds of students who stayed home from school April 20.</p><p>School officials are downplaying the situation by saying it wasn&#8217;t as threatening as students made it out to be, the parent said.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re wrong,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The kids are scared.&#8221;</p><p>Parents&#8217; concern is &#8220;understandable and respected,&#8221; Genello said, adding that students who didn&#8217;t attend school in the days following the threat won&#8217;t be docked time for unexcused absences.</p><p>Anyone with any information is asked to call the Wilkes-Barre Police Department&#8217;s Detective Division at 570-208-4222.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL042117HolyRedeemer1toned.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer High School. 4/20/2017 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL042117HolyRedeemer1toned.jpg</photo0><caption0>Holy Redeemer High School. 4/20/2017 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Officials say little, investigation continues into Redeemer student’s alleged threat