13-Year-Old in Custody for Threat Made to Brainerd’s Garfield Elementary

Brainerd’s Garfield Elementary School was put into lockdown on Thursday after staff received a threatening voicemail, and a 13-year-old who is not a student in the district was arrested for allegedly making the threat.

A press release from the Brainerd Police Department, a message had been left on the school’s voicemail that contained a threat of violence. Investigators determined the call came from outside of the Brainerd School District.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. that day, investigators were able to identify a 13-year-old male that made the telephone threat, and the caller was taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention center.

Investigators are attempting to identify the motive for making the threat, which includes the possibility that the intent was to prank the school. Authorities say initial details of this incident shared similarities to illegal pranks commonly referred to as “swatting.”

The Brainerd Police Department hasn’t identified any credible threats to the Brainerd School District’s facilities, students, or staff. The incident is still an active investigation.