BENNINGTON, Neb. (KMTV) — Tuesday morning, just before school started at Bennington High School, the Sheriff's Office said a student brought a gun to the parking lot on campus.
"Had displayed it in front of other students, sort of indiscriminately waved it around. But didn't make any specific threats toward any student," said Douglas County Sheriff Tom Wheeler.
It wasn't until a day later, on Wednesday, that the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was notified of the incident.
"Certainly, we would have liked to have had that information right away. But we are very grateful that they had the courage to come forward and say something," Wheeler said.
That alert came to them by a student reporting it using the SAFE2HELP Nebraska hotline. This is something the district said is crucial.
"Until this SAFE2HELP tip came, we had no knowledge of it. And so I think in this situation it was very important," said Bennington Public Schools Superintendent Terry Haack.
The SAFE2HELP hotline is available across Nebraska, you can submit a tip or chat with a counselor through the website or APP, 24/7.
Haack said students can submit any tip and it can be anonymous. "A lot of our reports come to us. Not as an incident just as serious as this one, did but just as serious maybe bullying, maybe self-harm," said Haack.
Bennington students have it on their devices and there are signs around campus.
"It's on our website so not only do the students have that availability but our community has that on our district website," Haack said.
Because of this tip, the sheriff's office and school were able to complete the investigation and notify families Wednesday night, explaining the incident and ensuring all students were safe.
The message was sent to parents by Bennington High School principal Greg Lamberty said:
"Parents,
We wanted to let you know about a situation we handled this week at BHS. We had a student bring a gun to school and threaten other students in the parking lot. The incident was quickly resolved, and no one was injured. Students immediately reported it to school administrators and by using the Safe2Help tipline. The student involved will now be facing consequences with both the school and law enforcement. We want to thank the students that immediately reported the incident and the quick response of law enforcement. Safety of our students and staff continues to be a top priority at BHS. Please don’t hesitate to call or email if you have any questions."
"That SAFE2HELP hotline is there 24/7, make sure you use it because there is a trusted adult on the other end of that line that is going to help you," Haack said.
Wheeler said it is unclear, right now, why the student who reported it waited.
"If they find themselves in this situation, report that immediately because we don't know when it's serious and when it's not and we have to address all of these as fast as we can," Wheeler said.
But Wheeler said he was grateful they came forward. The student arrested is charged with terroristic threats and was booked into the Douglas County Youth Center.
Wheeler encourages all parents to talk with their kids about the tip line and ensure they know what it is used for and how to use it.
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