Rocky Mountain High School in Byron was locked down for more than an hour Friday morning after a threatening note containing a “hit list” was found near the central office.


The note was found on the floor near the main office mid-morning Friday, Principal Tim Winland said, and appeared to be purposely left. Following an investigation, a female student at the school was identified and charges of making terroristic threats this week.


“The note was very specific,” Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn said. “It was a Columbine-type threatening note threatening death and other things to nine students at Rocky Mountain High School and the principal (Winland).”


Blackburn said the note was clearly meant to be found.
“It was found by an employee and brought to me,” Winland said. “I read the note and we spent some time evaluating the situation, then called law enforcement.”


Winland called Lovell School Resource Officer Jessica Flood, who, in turn, called the sheriff’s office and other agencies who were “quick to respond,” Winland said.


The school also went into a lockdown mode around 10:50 a.m., Winland said, and the lockdown lasted until around noon.


“We determined that the note was threatening the safety of the students at the high school,” the principal said.


During a lockdown, he said, students and teachers go through a “shelter in place” procedure, turning off classroom lights and going to designated safe areas in each room. The lockdown was lifted at noon, and students were dismissed classroom by classroom.


“The investigation was still going on,” Winland said. “The students were allowed only to go to their lockers and remove personal items.”


In the meantime, Deputy Tim Metro started interviewing the students listed on the note, and their parents were called. They were released as their parents arrived at the school to release them.


While the interviews were being conducted, Flood searched the perimeter of the school building and also checked vehicles. The custodial staff and Winland searched lockers.
“We treated it very seriously, that they were legitimate threats,” Blackburn said. “The note was left in such a way that we felt absolutely that this was to be taken seriously.”


He said someone asked him if the note could be considered to be a joke.


“Not on my watch,” he said. “This fits what we’ve been studying nationally in the way these things have been coming down. We’re not going to take that chance here. There’s too much on the line with our kids.”


Responding to the scene along with Flood and Metro were Capt. Bob Stokley of the Big Horn County S.O., Byron/Lovell officer Kyle McClure and highway trooper Blaine Mollett.


“Captain Stokley and the school officials correctly and immediately locked the school down for the safety of the students until the threat could be investigated,” Blackburn said.


As the investigation unfolded, a possible suspect was identified and handwriting samples were obtained from the note and other materials, then faxed to a handwriting expert in Pennsylvania for analysis.


“A presumptive positive match was made, and at that point the case was further developed,” the sheriff continued, “and a student – after we consulted with the county attorney – placed into the custody of a group home until court proceedings convene.”


Blackburn said he expected the juvenile to charged with multiple counts of making terroristic threats and possibly interfering with a law enforcement investigation.

Both Blackburn and Winland said the suspect had had difficulties with other students at the school and reacted with the note. Winland called the note a cry for help.


“These counts are designed to get the student some help,” Blackburn emphasized. “We want to help this person. This is a reminder that it’s easy to make fun of kids. We don’t realize how cruel we can be and how hard we’re pushing until something like this happens. I’m thankful we caught this so we can help everybody and not have to put back together the pieces of another tragedy.


“It became apparent (during the investigation) that this student was very frustrated and was feeling picked on, but there’s no excuse for the action she took or that any of these kids take when they do this type of thing.”


Winland said most schools, Rocky Mountain High School included, work hard at preventing bullying.


“As a school and as educators nationwide, there are certain safeguards in place to prohibit bullying and harassment,” he said. “When it’s reported schools deal with it according to their policy. Most policies send the message that it’s not to be tolerated.


“I feel we had procedures in place, but sometimes a lot of things happen away from school and it spills over into the school setting.”


Winland said he appreciates the efforts of local law enforcement officers.


“I would like to commend Jessica (Flood),” he said. “She was really helpful for us. She provided us with advice, and Nick (Lewis, Lovell chief), too.


“If you had to pick a best-case scenario, this was was it – a quick reaction, lockdown, an efficient and timely investigation and an apprehension. It worked out for the best, but we have work to do, obviously, in the future to try and prevent something like this.”


Blackburn, too, was complimentary of local law enforcement agencies, noting that Stokley and Metro took charge since Blackburn was at the Wyoming Sheriffs’ Association Meeting in Casper when the Friday morning events unfolded.


“I can’t say enough good about Capt. Stokley and Deputy Metro,” he said. “These men stepped up and handled things like the professionals they are. They did an excellent job of bringing an immediate resolution to a bad situation.”


Blackburn also praised Flood for her response and assistance.


“It’s nice to have a system where we can work together on something like this,” he noted.


Friday’s events point out the need for all schools to have a school resource officer, Blackburn said, noting that Flood is the only SRO in Big Horn County.


“We absolutely, imperatively know this problem is in Big Horn County,” he said. “We need school resource officers in Big Horn County. Jessica is involved in the community with the youth and helps us do our job. We’re able to bridge gaps because she keeps ties to the Rocky Mountain schools.”


Blackburn said he wrote one grant for SRO funding and came close, saying he’ll likely try again in the near future.


“It is here (student problems), it is real and it is going to be a real problem if we don’t get ahead of the curve,” he said.