Cheyenne East Student Charged With Making Terroristic Threats

An 18-year-old Cheyenne East High School student is facing a felony charge after reportedly threatening a school shooting.

Verbal Disturbance

According to police spokeswoman Alex Farkas, it all started at 11:48 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, when officers were dispatched to a verbal disturbance near East.

Report of Student With Gun

Farkas says 90 minutes later, a school resource officer (SRO) at East received a report that a male student, later identified as Tyler James Bathke, was carrying a gun in his waistband and made several concerning statements to other students, one of which indicated that a school shooting was going to occur.

RELATED: Report of Student With Gun Prompts Lockdown at Cheyenne East

East Locked Down, Carey Placed in Secure Perimeter

Within minutes, East was placed into a lockdown, and nearby Carey Junior High School was placed into a secure perimeter.

"Additional officers were called to the scene and quickly located Bathke," Farkas said in a press release.

No Gun Found

"Following a sweep of the school and surrounding areas, it was determined that there was no evidence of a gun in his possession, but officers did verify that threatening statements were made," she added.

Police Apply for Warrant

Due to the disruptive nature of the incident and the mass panic it created within the schools, police applied for an arrest warrant for Bathke the following day.

Laramie County Circuit Court Judge Antoinette Williams on Monday, Sept. 30, signed a warrant for Bathke for one count of terroristic threats, a felony punishable by up to three years in prison.

Bathke Turns Himself In

According to a booking sheet, Bathke turned himself in at 6:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Bathke made his initial appearance in Circuit Court on Wednesday, Oct. 2, during which his bond was set at $2,000 cash or surety and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11 at 9 a.m.

Please remember that all suspects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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'We Will Always Take Violent Threats Seriously'

"School threats carry very real consequences," said Police Chief Mark Francisco.

"This incident caused unnecessary fear, panic, and disruption in our community and placed a burden on school and police resources," he added. "We will always take violent threats seriously and will continue to work closely with our partners in education."

Farkas says students play an essential role in reporting information to authorities.

She says social media threats or concerning statements should always be reported to an SRO or submitted through Safe2Tell by visiting safe2tellwy.org or calling 844-WYO-SAFE.