BELFAST — A search is underway for a juvenile in Waldo County who apparently fired shots into the woods near a home in Swanville around 7 p.m., April 30. Because of that incident, the Belfast Area High School has stepped up security precautions and is allowing students today to enter the school through one door, only. Some parents, meanwhile, are unhappy with the level of communication from the school about the heightened precautions.

At approximately 7 p.m., Thursday night, the Waldo County Regional Dispatch Center received a report of a disturbance on the Town House Road in the Town of Swanville, according to a news release from the Waldo County Sheriff's Office. 

“The complainant indicated that, their son, a 16 year-old-male, was in the front yard of their residence when a vehicle passed in front of the home,” the release said. “The 16-year-old-male observed a passenger, known to him, yelling out the window at him. The passenger displayed a handgun and fired multiple shots into a wooded area near the complainant's son. The male passenger was yelling threats to kill the complainant's son as he fired the multiple shots.”

Deputies have been attempting to locate the juvenile and a warrant has been issued for him with possible charges of Terrorizing with a Dangerous Weapon and Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon. Both of these charges are Class C felonies.

“Because of the fact that the suspect is a juvenile their name cannot be released at this time,” the sheriff’s office said. “We have no information from the investigation indicating a threat to the school complex but, because the victim attends Belfast Area High School the school has instituted safety precautions at the school complex.”

Parents of students at the high school were concerned today as rumors starting flying, and accounts relayed on Facebook.

Meanwhile, administrators and Belfast police were saying there is no cause for alarm.

“We are all safe here,” said Belfast High School Administrative Assistant Betty Lu Brown, just before noon. “It’s our job to keep students safe.”

The school is on a lock-out, as it is every day, said Belfast police. That means the exterior doors are locked from the outside.

Students are coming and going as usual, with the only difference being they must enter through one door today.

Belfast Area High School Resource Officer Greg Stearns is at the school, as he is daily.  

“I would like to say there minimal information going out to the parents and the information we had was that there was a lock down for the safety of students,” said Tom Ventura, a parent of Belfast Area High School. “We did not know if it was a drill or for real. I am not going to allow my son to go to school on Monday until I know exactly what is going on. The communication was horrible and all it did was create panic among adults.”

He added: “What it comes down to, is, who is in charge of the child, the school or the parent? The school has voted itself the authority over parental rights by their actions in this event.”

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657