Goodrich- Area police arrested five students last weekend in connection with vandalizing the high school early Friday morning.
On Oct. 4, at about 11:45 p.m., Genesee County Sheriff Deputy Matthew McKay, posted at the high school, reported an alarm inside the school had sounded. At approximately 12:30 a.m., a second alarm went off and Deputy McKay saw suspects in the building wearing ski masks.
Before entering the school, police backups from the City of Davison, Davison Township, Grand Blanc Township, Richfield Township along with K-9 units were called to the high school to assist the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies drew their weapons upon entering the building and the suspects fled on foot into a wooded area near the school.
Three suspects were arrested early Friday morning and spent the night in jail, said Sgt. Joe Parks of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department. The vandalism included writing on lockers with soap and unrolling toilet paper in the gymnasium area. Additionally, several ceiling tiles were removed from the gymnasium. It was later determined at least one of the students had a key to the building and used it to gain entry.
‘Right now the students have not been charged,? said Parks. ‘The investigation continues and so far, about 12 students are involved in the incident.
‘The students knew not go in the school when it was closed’they went in anyway,? said Parks. ‘They tied up 60 to 100 hours of police time, at an estimated cost of $2,500 to $3,000. We also determined that the girls who were outside the school working on homecoming decorations were text messaging the suspects that police were outside the school. They did not enter the building.?
‘Regardless, this action put other communities at risk too, by drawing their police away from the area.?
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Department turned the case over the school district for further review.
Michael J. Thorp, school board trustee, said the district will decide the punishment and possible restitution regarding Friday’s incident.
‘Speaking from what I’ve heard from the case, it was obviously a prank,? said Thorp. ‘However, they committed a felony’it could cost those students for the rest of their life. The discipline will not be easy’there will be some very serious repercussions, however, not within the realm of the legal system.?
‘It could have been a horrible tragedy. Any damage to the building the students caused they will have to pay. My first thoughts are possible in-school suspension’but others will have to decide those actions.?
After news of the incident was reported on Friday, several seniors responded to the arrests of their classmates.
‘It was just a prank,? said a high school senior who asked to remain anonymous.
‘The police went overboard when they arrested those kids. Last year there were homecoming pranks and nothing happened’this year there were also pranks and arrests were made.? He suggested as punishment a suspension, saying the arrests were too much.
The issue escalated during a pep assembly on Friday, Oct. 5, when many of the seniors in attendance began chanting, ‘free the seniors,? followed by standing and turning their backs on the assembly speaker. In addition a flier that was distributed at the school said, ‘Free the Seniors,? and ‘It was meant as a harmless prank…pranks are tradition…most of all stop overreacting.?