DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Students returned to classes on Monday after police stopped four teens on Friday from continuing to plan an alleged “Columbine-style attack” on the school.
Hundreds of students returned to Dunmore School District after a threat towards the school was intercepted by law enforcement. Many of the students say they were nervous.
“It really shocks me to know that I’ve been just living life normally and to know that we could of been gone in a blink of an eye. It’s crazy to me,” said sophomore Masiahs Cruz.
Investigators say 15-year-olds Alyssa Kucharski and Zavier Lewis planned to carry out the attack on the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 2024.
Kucharski and Lewis have been charged as adults, while two other students are being charged as juveniles.
According to court paperwork, the investigation began in July after a mother of one of the students discovered text messages and alerted police.
“I commend that parent wholeheartedly. I mean it must have been a hard decision for them knowing it was their child,” said parent Nick Barchak.
Parents sending their children to school this week are saying they wish the district would have notified them sooner than Friday.
“We got the call, it was right as school was letting out. Kind of aggravating they should have told us a little earlier. But I understand they did not want the chaos, they didn’t want the panic,” said Barchak.
“It would have been nice for us to know sooner but I see why the school held off on it,” said Dunmore High School senior Emily Roughgarden.
“We know that there were some rumors out there but we simply couldn’t comfort until we had the okay from law enforcement,” said John Marichak, who is the Superintendent of Dunmore School District.
Marichak is sending a message to all students and staff, that if you hear something say something.
“We’re beating the bushes to make sure we talk with our students about coming forward if they hear anything most of the time, a lot of the time, they hear things before we do,” said Marichak.
Eyewitness News will continue to update the community as more information comes out about this incident.