GREENFIELD, Ind. -- Two Greenfield-Central High School students were arrested Friday after they were reported being overheard at work talking about shooting up Saturday’s commencement ceremony.
Clayton Smith, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile were taken into custody Friday afternoon. Smith, who is a junior, faces a preliminary charge of conspiracy to commit intimidation, a level 6 felony. The 17-year-old, who is a senior, is being charged as a juvenile.
Police were able to trace the alleged threat back to Smith and the juvenile after a school resource officer received a tip.
#RTV6NOW: @GreenfieldIN_PD Chief Jeff Rasche says two Greenfield Central HS students have been arrested for threats made against the school. pic.twitter.com/yp5AYeunlo
— Jordan Fischer (@Jordan_RTV6) June 8, 2018
In a probable cause affidavit filed Friday, investigators said the juvenile admitted to talking about shooting up commencement “in a joking manner.”
“[Juvenile] later admitted that he did say that he would pay Clayton Smith to shoot up the school, but insisted that he was not serious,” the affidavit says.
Police also interviewed Smith, who reportedly described it as a “bad joke.”
“We were making a joke about someone shooting up commencement practice,” Smith reportedly told police.
Smith reportedly told police neither he nor his family had a gun, and that he would never follow through with the threat.
Following their interviews, both suspects were taken into custody. As of Friday evening, Smith was being held at the Hancock County Jail without bond.
The alleged threat came just weeks after a 13-year-old Noblesville student opened fire in a classroom, wounding his teacher, Jason Seaman, and a classmate, 13-year-old Ella Whistler.
Greenfield Police Chief Jeff Rasche said that shooting was on the department’s minds when the threat report came in.
“We take these very seriously,” Rasche said. “We are not going to blow these off as a joke.”
Rasche said he wanted to assure students and family members that there was no known threat to Saturday’s commencement ceremony. He also praised the coworker who reported the conversation to police.
“She recognized the potential for a bad thing to happen, and she did the right thing,” Rasche said.
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