Worthy charges 4 more youths in Wayne County school threats

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday she has charged four more juveniles in connection with threats against schools.

The cases follow five youths her office charged on Tuesday and seven last week following a surge in alleged threats in the days after the Nov. 30 attack at Oxford High School.

The latest group all were charged with an intentional threat to commit an act of violence against a school, school employees or students as well as a malicious use of a telecommunications device, Worthy's office said in a statement. Bond was set at $5,000 for each.

The incidents were reported between Dec. 4-6, according to the release.

If convicted, "... the judge will fashion a sentence considering the crime committed, and the rehabilitation of the juvenile offender," Worthy's office said.

The students charged were:

• A 14-year-old male student at Wilson Middle School in Wyandotte. His next court date is a pre-trial scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec.15 before Referee Charles Wilson. 
• A 15-year-old male student at Central High School, Detroit.  A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 13 before Referee Karen Braxton.
• A 17-year-old female student at East English Village Preparatory Academy, Detroit. Her next court date is 9 a.m. Dec. 15 before Referee Charles Wilson.  
• A 16-year-old male student at Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, Detroit. A pre-trial is set for Jan. 12 before Referee Nicholas Hathaway.

“We have charged 18 youth in the last few days with crimes relating to school threats. Much has been written about these types of cases lately yet still these serious events continue to happen,” Worthy said. “... Quelling school threats is going to take the work of all of us. It is also going to take facing head on the access our children have for guns and their fascination with them.”

Authorities have investigated many threats following the Oxford High incident, which left four students dead and seven other people injured.

On Wednesday, Waterford Township police investigated three reports of threats by students, including to an elementary school.

Harper Woods police on Tuesday arrested two girls in connection with a threat targeting a high school.

Police last week arrested several in connection alleged threats in Grosse Pointe Woods, Lake Orion and Waterford Township. A 17-year-old accused of bringing a pistol to Southfield Regional Academic Campus also was apprehended.