Blue Hill School goes into Lockdown as Authorities Process Shooting Threats.

  "This was a strange and unnerving experience for everyone"  Superintendent Joel  Ruybalid
Michael D. Head, a 47-year-old resident of  Blue Hill.  was arrested by Webster County Sheriff's department officers Monday after allegedly having threatened to shoot children at the school.  He had also threatened harm to Blue Hill city council members because his dogs had been killed.
According to the arrest affidavit, Michael D. Head was in the Blue Hill Tavern on Friday evening  ranting about city officials. He was upset saying that he felt that city officials were involved in the death of three of his dogs.  Witnesses overheard his comments and reported the incident to local authorities.
City official had in 2012 declared Head's dogs to be dangerous.  An inspection warrant was obtained to remove three dogs from Head's residence on Ash street in Blue Hill.
Witnesses who were at the Blue Hill Tavern Friday evening told Webster County Sherriff's authorities that Head said, “And if they think they are going to do anything to this dog I have now, I’m going to the next city council meeting and starting to shoot them all. Then, I’m going to work my way to the school.”
Head is alleged to have said he was going to show people what mass murder looked like by going to the school.  He said he intended to start with the youngest class and work his way up in grades. Head  said he had two pistols and an assault rifle to carry out his threat, according to witnesses.
Head accused children of lying about being bitten by his dogs because he said his dogs would never hurt kids.  That he said was his reason for intending to go to the school to shoot children.
Head was asked to leave the bar, but returned about 45 minutes later only to be turned away. Head was reported to have threatened to fight and to kill a bar patron with whom he had been discussing his plans.
Early Saturday morning this incident was reported to the Webster County Sheriff’s Department.  Sunday Webster Co. authorities took four calls from concerned Blue Hill citizens about Head walking around town with his daughter writing in a note pad at the addresses of city council members while consuming alcohol.
These activities were considered suspicious considering the events Friday in the tavern. These incidents combined to cause concern among many citizens which led to the Blue Hill Community Schools being  locked down for about three hours Monday morning.   Parents of some Blue Hill students gathered around the school Monday morning out of concern for students safety.
Superintendent Joél Ruybalid issued a statement to patrons Monday.  He tried to explain that students of the school weren’t in imminent danger. A precautionary lockdown was used to err on the side of caution.
Head was arrested about 10:40 a.m. Monday morning. 
Webster County Sheriff Troy Schmitz, posted a statement on the Webster Co. Sherriff's facebook page.  The post indicated that an arrest warrant was issued about 10:15 a.m.  Head was found walking down the street with his hands in his pockets. He was arrested without incident.  He is being held on a $500,000 bond with 10 percent cash needed for his release.
Head is being held on one charge of making  terroristic threats.
Terroristic threats is a Class 3A felony punishable by up to three years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.
Click on this link to read the letter to Patrons issues Monday 4/11/16 from the school superintendent about Monday's incident.  https://goo.gl/IrHP2r
This statement was issued by the Webster County Sheriff's Department on their facebook page Monday.

The Webster County Sheriff's Department investigated some threats that were made over the weekend. This morning the Blue Hill Community Schools were placed in lock down as a safety precaution. The students were at no time in danger this morning, again the school did this as a safety precaution. At approximately 1015 this morning an arrest warrant was issued for a male in his late forties for Terroristic Threats, (Class 3A Felony) in connection with the investigation. This man was taken into custody by the Webster County Sheriff at approximately 1040. The male was walking down the street with his hands in his pockets. He complied with all orders given by the Sheriff and he was placed in handcuffs without incident. He is being held in the Webster County Jail on a 500,000.00 Ten Percent Bond.
We want to thank the Blue Hill School Administrators, staff and community members for helping the Sheriff's Department in keeping our community safe! Sheriff Troy R. Schmitz


Below is a letter to school district patrons from the school superintendent about Monday’s incident and the decisions behind a precautionary lock down and the release of information:
Patrons,
The school received a report from the Webster County Sheriff’s Department of verbal threats made against Blue Hill Community Schools. The decision was made to go into a precautionary Lockdown for today’s school day (4/11/16). From what we knew and understood at the time, students were not in imminent danger and there was no immediate threat to their safety. We do, however, always want to error on the side of caution by being mindful of the best available and most accurate information.

By having the Lockdown procedure in place, we were very confident in the teacher and staff’s ability to keep students safe. The idea of Lockdown is to follow the best practices for a possible intruder as described by the National School Safety Center. This includes having students in school and not out and about roaming the community when a suspect is in the community. Our Critical Incident (CIT) Committee has received training and all Lockdown procedures were reviewed with staff prior to the start of the day. Our intention was to stay in Lockdown until we were contacted about a change in status from the Sheriff’s Department. In this incidence, there were two Sheriff’s Deputies and later on State Patrol in town. After receiving the word that the suspect that made the threats of violence towards the school was arrested, the Lockdown was lifted.
I know some parents were upset about not being notified of the Lockdown prior to its happening. The school was informed that there was not an immediate threat. Doing so would have compromised the effectiveness of the procedure of law enforcement. The school did not want to put information out that would interfere with or compromise the investigation of the Sheriff’s Department. Although many times we may feel the wheels of justice turn slowly, we do want to make sure that when the time comes and charges are made that the charges will “stick.”
This was a strange and unnerving experience for everyone and I understand the reluctance of parents to send your students to school today. If your student did not attend today they will not be counted as unexcused absent but they will be responsible for missed work, notes or assignments.
Also, there were no incidences of violence at the school this morning. We heard from concerned patrons who asked about the violent incident that occurred at the school today. We had high school students who were driving to school who were stopped at a street corner and were being told to go home because there was a shooting at the school.
I know many of you dealt with a “Roller Coaster” of emotions today, but rest assured the safety of our students is the utmost priority of the teachers, staff and administration of Blue Hill Community Schools. After today’s occurrence, we will meet again to review today’s events to be better prepared for the future.
Joél Ruybalid
Superintendent