Should I Call The Police?

[Isabelle]

It is the second day of school and already there are probelms.
The 15 year old called to tell me that a girl on the bus threated to get a gun and shoot him. She was ticked because someone told her to shut up and one boy claimed it was my son. The girl went off on my son and tried to humiliate him on the bus. He got off with friends and crossed the street. She followed again taunting him and telling him she was going to get a gun and kill him.

I called the principal and he is going to call them into the office tomorrow morning before class. But I don't know if I am over-reacting by going to the police. In these days.......you never know what is real.

What should I do?

[verbenabeast]

In the world we live in... if he believed her... you gotta believe HIM. Better safe than sorry.

[Blonde]

Oh, my!! That is a horrible story; I do believe I would call the police. After all, the girl did technically break the law, I think. (Isn't threatening to kill someone at least a misdemeanor?) Perhaps you could ask the police to pay a little visit to her parents.

I know it's a diffcult situation, because you don't want the girl to retaliate further against your son, but that kind of threat just has to be taken seriously, IMHO.

[World Eater]

Seconded.

[Syntropy]

Call. The. Police. I don't know where you are, Isabelle, but in California, what that girl did is grounds for a restraining order. No matter what excuse she may have, it's not worth risking your son.

[Michael Ellis]

Why not. If nothing else, it'll teach that girl not to make stupid threats like that.

[Isabelle]

Can you restrain a kid that is forced to take the same school bus to school?

BTW I live in Florida. I think it is ugainst the law to threaten someones life.

I am going to call the police!

[Syntropy]

Sure. The alternate method of transportation is up to her legal guardian. (mother, grandparent, etc.)

[Sejal_Traurig]

Call the cops.. Keep us informed...

[js_africanus]

Calling the police is sort of the default option: You tell them what happened and they decide whether something should be done. You aren't positioned to make many of the judgements that belong with the police. On the other hand, they'll bust everybody for every crime they see.

We really aren't in positions to judge this, IMO. What age are they? What sort of neighborhood do you live in? Do you want your kid to suffer the reprocussions (sp?) he'll get at school for ratting out somebody? Etc.

I suppose that the safest thing would be to call the non-emergency central dispatch number (it will be in the phone book) and tell them that your such-and-such year old son, in whatever grade, received a death threat on the school bus from a girl who said that she'd get a gun and shoot him. And then ask if this is something the police need to know about.

[TwistofFate]

get the school to call the police, and tyell them that if they don't, you will.

[Isabelle]

I called the prinicipal and he is handling it from his desk.

I went to the parents of this child and they wern't home and woulnd't be until after 10PM.

I am going to call the non-emergency police number and make a report.

This girl that made the threat is African American and this could be seen as a hate crime.

My son is in the 10th grade and 15 years old. He simply wants ME to handle this for him.

[Jonathan Chance]

And that's not unreasonable. However grown up a 15 might look or feel they're not quite ready (usually) to deal with all of life's little issues.

I doubt there's any sort of 'hate crime' involved and introducing that would enormously complicate the issue.

But I approve of having some cops speak with her and her parents. Allow me to quote Crash Davis (from Bull Durham):

"Scare them. They're kids...scare them."

- Jonathan 'Who wasn't scared off and ended up far worse for 3 years' Chance

[Queen Bee]

What she did is most definitely a crime. In Texas it would be assault by threat or terroristic threat. If she's under 17, depending on the laws in your state, she would probably be handled by the juvenile courts if it got that far. I think law enforcement takes kids shooting kids threats very seriously since the whole Columbine affair. As far as a restraining order -- yes, it can be done. She'd have to find her own way to school without taking the same bus. It's just ridiculous that kids can't be completely safe at the school. And frankly, if she's going to threaten to KILL someone just because she thinks they told her to shut up -- then she's not terribly stable and you never know what she might do.

Much better safe than sorry. I think as women we're conditioned not to make a fuss, but when it comes to your child's safety -- then fuss away!

Keep us posted.

[Count Blucher]

She said she would kill him. She said how she would kill him. It is not difficult to buy a gun in Florida legally, so the threat is believable.

The police should act on the threat. They should determine which gun it is she though she could 'get'. (If the parents are gone til 10pm, an easy guess is its one of theirs) They should also make sure that steps are taken where it is secured beyond her access. In the wake of Columbine, I'm Very surprised your school has no 'Zero Tolerance' policy in place.

[sylphishone]

I vote for calling the cops. The girl may be bragging/bluffing but even if that is all it is she needs to STOP. Your child does not deserve the harassment/stress. I can remember bus bullies and school bullies and I was scared. I was just an average kid. I think the only way to stop the behavior is to react harshly. The principal may deal with it but the bottom line is it isn't his call the police need to be involved.

[UrbanChic]

Although I agree with the others that the authorities should be notified, based on the information you've provided, I fail to see how this fits the description of a hate crime.