Student Arrested for Alleged Threats

For the second time in a week, a Tri-State high school student is arrested at school for making terroristic threats. 18 year old Benjamin Lucas was arrested yesterday at henderson county high school. Hes charged with making terroristic threats. A 16 year old Owensboro High School student was arrested earlier this week and charged with the same crime. The student at Owensboro is accused of making racist threats against other students. Lucas is accused of threatening to kill a teacher. What the students may not have realized before they made their alleged comments - saying things like that on school grounds is a felony. Henderson County High School students are preparing for a weekend away from classes. Its a typical Friday, but that wasnt the case yesterday when 18 year old Benjamin Lucas was arrested on school grounds. Police say he went to class unprepared and the teacher sent him to the office. Walking down the hall another teacher heard him threaten to kill the teacher who kicked him out of class. "When someone says they are going to kill them you have to accept them for what their saying," says Resource Officer Ron Butler Officer Butler arrested Lucas after hearing from him and the principal. Lucas is charged with making second degree terrorist threats - a class D felony. The fact that this alledged comment was made on school grounds makes it much more serious. If the same thing was said on the street it would be a misdemeanor not a felony Its the trickle down effect of school shootings in the last decade. "After Columbine and Paducah the incidents with school shootins the schools and the police have to take a hardline appraoch to it." The specific second degree wording gives schools and police the ability to take immediate action against the student. Butler says incidents like this one arent uncommon. "Seems to be more common than it used to be." Another reason to take action before the words turn into a major incident. The maximum sentence for a felony like this is one to five years in prison. Butler says thats the extreme for this specific case.