Man arrested in connection with Shaler Area School District threat
A 28-year-old man’s threats to kill two men and students at Shaler Area Elementary School prompted the district to delay the start of the new school year.
Allegheny County Police charged Daniel White, 28, of Turtle Creek with three misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats. He was arraigned Monday night and is being held in Allegheny County Jail after being denied bail.
White was found Monday morning at the Allegheny County Courthouse and arrested by county sheriff’s deputies.
According to a criminal complaint, White threatened to hurt and kill two men, ages 29 and 60, on Sunday while at Crisis Resolve, a mental health counseling center in Pittsburgh’s North Point Breeze neighborhood.
According to the complaint, White also is alleged to have said, “I am a murderer, and I will kill everyone. I will shoot up schools, especially the ones with little white kids at Shaler Elementary.”
The complaint did not say whether there were any connections between the men White threatened and the school or why White threatened the school.
A “be on the lookout” for White was broadcast Monday morning, and a deputy with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office recognized White’s name from his previous participation in mental health court, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mike Manko said.
When White arrived at the courthouse “without explanation,” the deputy that staffs mental health court recognized him and took him into custody without incident, Manko said.
A letter from Shaler Area Superintendent Bryan O’Black and Shaler police Chief Sean Frank said the individual responsible, later identified as White, is not believed to have any connection to the school district.
But because of the threat, Shaler Area postponed orientation day for students in kindergarten, fourth, seventh and ninth grades until Tuesday. The first day for all Shaler Area students, originally scheduled for Tuesday, will be Wednesday.
“We are deeply saddened to make this adjustment and do not take this decision lightly. The safety and security of our students and staff remain our highest priority,” the letter states. “The district is working closely with local law enforcement, who are actively investigating the situation. We will fully cooperate to ensure that the individual responsible is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Because White is in custody, O’Black said district staff may access schools, if they desire.
“Our local police will continue to maintain a visible presence on campuses to provide reassurance and support as we transition back into our normal routines,” O’Black said.
Weapons detection system obtained
Shaler plans to begin using a weapons detection system at its high school and middle school this school year.
The district bought three sets of the OpenGate system for use at its high school and two for its middle school. They will be phased in to daily operations during the first several weeks of the year, a district spokeswoman said.
A demonstration of the system was scheduled for late April but was canceled because of power outages and other hazards caused by a powerful storm that struck the region. It was to have been held ahead of an active shooter community educational night that the district had planned with state police.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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