Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with comments from Detroit Lakes Middle School High School Principal Mike Suckert.
— A notification sent to Detroit Lakes Middle School families on Tuesday alerted them to graffiti containing threats in a girls’ bathroom stall.
The graffiti “included allusions to self-harm and a threat involving the school,” according to the notification.
As a safety precaution on Wednesday morning, DLMS staff and administrators, with Detroit Lakes Police Department assistance, conducted searches of students’ backpacks and bags upon entering the school.
“We did assist the middle school with bag checks this morning to make sure the kids were safe,” Detroit Lakes Police Chief Steve Todd said Tuesday. “They had no issues. Middle School administrators were good to work with, they had the situation well in hand.”
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Detroit Lakes police officers did show “a bigger presence than normal,” around the schools on Tuesday, Todd said, adding that he couldn’t reveal too many details because it remains an ongoing investigation.
As for continuing bag checks, DLMS Principal Mike Suckert said they don’t see the need, but have yet to make a final decision as of Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s 2:30 (p.m.), we have yet to make a decision on that,” Suckert said. “We feel a lot better today, right now, where things are.”
Suckert noted that both staff and students were “great” during today’s bag-checking process, and that supervision will continue to ensure safety.
To ensure you’re receiving notifications from the school, ensure the school has a current email address and that notifications are not being sent to a spam folder.
“Our staff and our kids have been great today,” Suckert said. “They’ve been wonderful.”
If you have any information about the graffiti, call the DLMS at 218-847-9228.