Kenosha teen remains in custody after school shooting scare, frustrated parents sound off on district's response

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- There are new developments in the case of the Kenosha teen who tried to enter an elementary school last week with what authorities thought was a gun.

That teen accused of causing last week's scare appeared in court Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 12, and was ordered to remain in custody.

Later that evening, the community weighed in at a special board meeting, where people expressed frustration with the district's handling of the situation, and why the teen was allowed into the school in the first place.

KUSD parent Elizabeth Murillo said during the meeting's public comment period, "We know what's going on. Know that the ball was dropped. Please do something better next time." Many in the crowd applauded.

She was among several frustrated parents who sounded off on the Kenosha school board at the first public comment opportunity since the 13-year-old boy walked into Roosevelt Elementary School with what police believed at the time was a semi-automatic rifle.

Parent Christine Delgado said the district needs to "ask questions for anyone who's trying to get in the school buildings."

Even though the gun turned out to be a pellet gun and no students or staffers were injured, parents and teachers were concerned the teen was allowed into a secure vestibule in the first place.

Amanda Dreifke is the parent of two Kenosha students and is also a teacher in the district. She said, "We are asking that all Kenosha Unified schools be equipped with secure entrances and occupied with a trained security liaison at the main entrance."

Of the 40 KUSD buildings, seven do not have secure entrances. The district is weighing the possibility of adding a $12.5 million referendum in February.

Christine Taylor's two children attend a Kenosha school that does not have secure entrances. She said, "We are all painfully aware of the district's budget constraints and various agendas, but safety of the staff and students should not only be top priority, but the only priority right now."

A few hours earlier, across town, the 13-year-old boy appeared in court via Zoom.

Court Commissioner Miles Hartley said, "The court will order a competency evaluation."

The teen was ordered to remain in secure detention as he faces a charge of making a terroristic threat.

The court is going to great lengths to protect his identity, and the identity of his family, banning the use of any video or audio of him.

On Tuesday, the state asked the boy continue to be held.

Kenosha County Assistant DA Trisha Riley argued, "This was a very chilling event. It wasn’t just committed on a whim. It was actually practiced a couple of times. Videos that he sent out."

But the teen's defense attorney, Terry Ross, countered, "What was on video, what was online, on the internet, has nothing whatsoever to do with this event."

The court commissioner ultimately agreed and ordered the teen remain in custody.

Back at the board meeting, Kenosha Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Weiss told us students and staff did well during their return to school.

He said additional security measures have been discussed, and some have already been put in place.

The teen is scheduled to be in court again Nov. 22.