A high school football game took a serious turn after a group of juveniles told deputies another teen pulled out a pocketknife, popped a balloon and threatened to kill them.
The teen admitted pulling out the knife — and called it “a stupid thing to do” — but denied making any threats.
Special deputies were working the South Point High School football game when a group of juveniles approached one of them shortly before 8 p.m. to report what had happened.
The group said another juvenile had confronted them with a pocketknife.
According to their account, the teen pulled out the knife, used it to pop a balloon and threatened to kill them and cut off their genitals.
A deputy went to the area near the bleachers where the juveniles said the incident occurred and located the teen they identified.
When asked about the knife, the juvenile immediately surrendered it.
He admitted pulling it out and acknowledged that doing so had been stupid, according to the report.
However, he denied threatening anyone with it.
School Initially Considers Handling It In-House
Deputies had the juvenile call his mother and escorted him to the front gate while another deputy contacted school administrators to find out how they wanted to proceed.
Initially, a staff member told deputies the school would likely handle the incident internally. The juvenile’s mother, who was still on the phone, was also told that.
Then the high school principal arrived.
According to the Sheriff’s Office report, the principal said that because of the juvenile’s previous issues and behavior, he wanted charges pursued and the teen taken into custody.
When deputies told the boy’s mother about the change, the report says she became irate.
The juvenile was placed under arrest and transported from the stadium. The pocketknife was seized as evidence.
The case was also forwarded to the school’s resource officer for follow-up.
