Note leads to arrest of Harlan teen

HARLAN, Iowa — A Harlan teen has been arrested after being accused of writing a note Thursday in which he threatened to shoot several students and himself.

Police investigators said the 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats, a felony.

Superintendent Bob Broomfield of the Harlan Community School District said officials at the high school became aware of the threat shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday after a student told officials that the 18-year-old had written a note threatening the shootings.

“If there's a chance a student can harm himself or others, we contact the appropriate authorities,” Broomfield said.

However, Broomfield added, “We had the student in the office, and at the time we determined the threat was nonexistent, so there was no need to shut down the school.”

Both police and Broomfield described the note as general in nature, with no threats against specific students.

School officials gave the note to police, who said the teen admitted that he wrote it. He was booked into the Shelby County Jail.

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