Schools in two communities on the Kuskokwim Delta were forced into emergency lockdowns over the past week in separate incidents of alleged terroristic threatening.
The first incident occurred in Kasigluk, where both of the community’s schools were locked down on the afternoon of Sept. 3.
According to charging documents, the lockdowns were in response to reports that 32-year-old Nick Andrew had allegedly sent threatening text messages to his wife suggesting that he might harm her and commit a violent act at one of the community’s schools.
Alaska State Troopers initially responded to Kasigluk that afternoon based on reports that a man, later confirmed to be Nick, had been shooting a rifle near the river within the village, according to charging documents.
Troopers were able to arrest Andrew at his home without incident. He's been charged with second-degree terroristic threatening, fourth-degree weapons misconduct, and second-degree harassment.
Andrew is being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel and a preliminary hearing in his case is set for Nov. 11 in Bethel court.
The second incident that locked down a school in the region came on the evening of Sept. 7 in Quinhagak, where reports of an armed man also briefly locked down the community as a whole.
According to charging documents, tribal police in Quinhagak reported that 37-year-old Curtis Pleasant was allegedly armed with a shotgun and a rifle in town and had threatened to shoot and kill teachers at the community’s school. Teachers who were at the school on Sept. 7 were reportedly escorted home and the school was locked down. Pleasant also allegedly damaged the front door of the community’s tribal store.
Troopers who responded to Quinhagak that evening were able to locate and arrest Pleasant without incident. He has been charged with second-degree terroristic threatening, fourth-degree weapons misconduct, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and third-degree assault.
Pleasant is currently being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel and a preliminary hearing in his case is set for Sept. 18 in Bethel court.
