Boy, 8, threatens to kill teacher for taking his phone in Pontiac

PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) - There has been another threat at another school, but this time the suspect is just 8 years old.

Police say he was angry his cell phone was taken away in his Pontiac class. 

"He was very specific, kill the student and kill the teacher," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. "Not only did he threaten to kill the student that he thought had told about him having a cell phone in school, he threatened to kill a teacher that took the phone.

"That's pretty out of bounds on any level and that needs to be addressed."

Investigators say it happened Tuesday at the International Technology Academy in Pontiac. The teacher found a note detailing the threat and alerted the principal who alerted security who alerted police.

The child and his mother were interviewed and he was released into her custody. But other parents on Wednesday just found out about it.

"At school it's supposed to be a place where it's a safe haven for kids," said father Kevonte Benson. "To have anything outside of that is threatening to the home and what you teach your kids. I'm going to definitely see what's going on and investigate because I have not heard anything about the matter."

FOX 2: "Do you feel like they have to look into everything because of the nature of the situation?"

"Absolutely," said parent Tom Runyon. "You got threats out there that can be very serious."

The school is not disclosing what disciplinary action might be taken against the child. It says he was not arrested and the child was handed over to the sheriff's department.

"It's something we take very seriously," Bouchard said. "We not only investigate every threat we're going to prosecute every threat. So this is going to be taken to the prosecutor for prosecution."

Bouchard says they don't want to see young children locked up - but they want this child to get the proper punishment and counseling he needs. He also encourages parents to talk to their children.

"Make it an age appropriate discussion regardless of the age of the child," Bouchard said. "Make sure the child feels comfortable to talk to the parents and if not them, to someone they trust about anything they are concerned about. Because we don't want to miss anything in these challenging times."