Man accused of emailing school threat to Butler newspaper

A Butler man who is accused of warning about violence at Butler High School is in the Butler County Prison.

State police said Benjamin David Jacox, 25, sent an email to the Butler Eagle newspaper warning of crimes and shootings at the high school.

“Hello, I have bad news for the community here in Butler,” the email allegedly started. “More crimes, and shootings will happen at Butler high school. I would watch out for tomorrow, or next week, or maybe next month. Consider yourself warned.”

The email was sent to the newspaper Sunday morning. The newspaper then forwarded it to the Butler Area School District’s superintendent Monday, police said. The district put the high school on lockdown.

State police said the school gave troopers the name of a former student whose parents had the email address.

Troopers interviewed Jacox at his residence. Jacox allegedly told the troopers he “sent it out of anger and knew it was wrong,” according to the police report.

In an email sent to parents early Monday, Superintendent Brian J. White Jr. said the district “takes all threats seriously.”

Jacox faces a felony charge for making terroristic threats. He was in prison in lieu of $50,000 bond.