Riverside Students In Custody After Making Threats

Early Sunday evening, school administrators were informed that a student at Riverside Public Schools made threatening statements to one of his peers.

School district officials reacted immediately to the threat, and worked closely with law enforcement in investigating this issue. School officials took immediate steps to ensure students were safe at school, including emergency exclusion and law enforcement presence at school.

School officials also informed parents that they would be permitted to keep their children at home if they were not comfortable sending their student to school, even with these safeguards in place.

The criminal investigation continued, with the assistance of school staff. As additional information was learned, the school took immediate steps to respond, including additional emergency exclusion from school.

The students involved in this matter are in law enforcement custody and do not pose a threat to the school or students. The criminal investigation is ongoing by the Spalding Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Nance County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and the Greeley County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the Nebraska State Patrol, four juveniles are in custody in connection with the report of threats made against multiple students at Riverside Public Schools.

Officials with the Spalding Police Department, Nance County Sheriff’s Office, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Greeley County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol are working together on the investigation following a report of a threat made against a student at the Riverside Public Schools campus in Spalding.

The investigation began on Sunday, October 28, when threatening statements were reported by a student. The school immediately reported the incident to the Spalding Police Department, which initiated a joint investigation involving multiple agencies.

The four juveniles will each be charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit first degree assault. Two of the juveniles will be charged in Greeley County and two will be charged in Nance County, based on their county of residence. The four, which range in age from 13 to 17, were taken into custody Thursday and Friday.

Law enforcement has provided an additional presence at the Riverside campuses in Spalding and Cedar Rapids throughout the week. At this point there is no threat to the school or public. The investigation is ongoing.
​
Any further information about the criminal investigation will come from those agencies. Members of the school community who have information relevant to the criminal investigation should contact one of those agencies.

​"The school district is deeply grateful to these agencies for their prompt response and ongoing cooperation. We want to reiterate that all Riverside Public School buildings have been safe and secure throughout this process. The school takes our obligation to keep students and staff safe very seriously. Please know that the school will continue to have increased security on campus until the investigation is complete and that we will engage in heightened vigilance in all of our buildings."