Back in April of 2023 I wrote about dealing with a noncustodial parent and their threatening behavior towards the building principals where his children attended school.  Because of the swift response from the local law enforcement agency, the parent was quickly arrested and charged with telecommunications harassment and inducing panic.  Unfortunately, the parent was deemed by the courts to be unfit to stand trial.  Between a Civil Protection Order and summer vacation, the problem seemed to go away.  Although no longer in the forefront of my mind, I still knew I could not just hope the problem was going to go away forever.

I did not ‘friend’ the suspect on Facebook, but I would set reminders to lurk around his posts.  One of the disturbing trends was his talk about how things were going to change soon.  He started talking about certain dates when he would be able to do the things he wanted to do to the people who had ‘done him wrong’. One post was especially disturbing:

Although disturbing, there was nothing criminal in the post. 

As you have heard me say many times, “To connect the dots you must collect the dots.”  This was one of many dots that, on their own mean nothing, but in the totality of the circumstances, these dots cause enough concern to contact local law enforcement again.  As we worked through the threat assessment process, it was clear the suspect was on a pathway to violence.  There was still not enough for an arrest, but then the suspect started leaving bizarre and threatening messages at Central Office and at the schools where his children were now attending school. 

I took a chance and reached out to his ex-wife.  She shared more dots: he had already threatened five other people, and they filed reports with their local law enforcement agency.  There was now enough evidence for charges and an arrest warrant was filed.  The suspect was arrested without incident at his home.  The courts have remanded him to a mental hospital for a minimum of six months until he is mentally competent to stand trial.

It is not my goal, the goal of law enforcement, or the goal of the school to have this person incarcerated for an extended period.  Even if that was the goal, it is doubtful he would spend more than two years in jail with his current charges.  Just like with our students who we evaluate with a threat assessment, the goal is to get the person the help they need so they no longer believe violence is a solution.  With most mental health issues, if the problem goes unchecked it continues to get worse.  I saw this with the suspect in just over a year’s time.