TREMONT – A local seventh-grade boy has been suspended and charged with terrorizing after he made threats to his classmates about bringing a gun to school to shoot people and burning the school down, according to Maine State Police.

Trooper Jessica Shorey said Tuesday that the incident happened at Tremont Consolidated School on Jan. 30. The name of the boy, who is 13 years old, is not being released publicly because he is a juvenile.

She said the boy had just been told he was being suspended for other disciplinary reasons when he returned to his classroom and uttered the threats. Classmates overheard his comments and told school staff, who then called the state police, Shorey said.

“He’s made similar threats in the past few weeks,” the trooper said. “[School administrators] did not know about the other threats [until the Jan. 30 incident].”

Dianne Waters, principal of the school, acknowledged Tuesday that the term “terrorizing” can have chilling connotations but suggested that the boy may have just been lashing out emotionally. She said she expects to meet today with the boy’s parents and with Union 98 Superintendent Rob Liebow to discuss possible further disciplinary action the school might take.

“It’s basically an upset kid,” the principal said.

School administrators are taking all the necessary measures to make sure that the school remains a safe place for all students and staff, Waters said.

The boy is expected to appear in March in Ellsworth District Court on the misdemeanor terrorizing charge, according to Shorey.

btrotter@bangordailynews.net

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