Photo: Pierce Twp Police
( Pierce Twp ) - She said she wanted to shoot up an elementary school.
Every school in Clermont County was put on lockdown for a time Thursday morning after a woman made those comments at a gas station.
Pierce Twp Police Chief Paul Broxterman (pictured) told reporters that a woman at the Marathon Fuel Center on State Route 125 told the clerk "I'm just going to drop my kids off at a police station and then shoot up my kids' school." The chief says the comment came after finding out she didn't have the money to buy what she wanted to at the gas station.
The gas station worker called 911, and as officers were searching for the woman's vehicle or any clue about her identity, all schools in Clermont County were locked down as a precaution.
Surveillance video ultimately led police to the home of 35-year-old Helen Kemplin. She's now charged with terroristic threatening and inducing panic.
Chief Broxterman says she had two children and a baby with her at the time. Those children are now with Clermont County Youth Services.
"If you hear something, even if you don't know if it meets that threshold, give us a call. Give police a call, and we will investigate the matter," Chief Broxterman said.
West Clermont Schools has released a statement:
West Clermont families and staff,
This morning, Clermont County Sheriff's Office, in coordination with Pierce Township and Union Township Police Departments, notified the district that an adult community member made a generalized threat toward our schools. No specific school was identified. As a precaution, we were directed to go into lockdown. Immediately, we instituted our district's safety protocols. While law enforcement investigated and apprehended the suspect, district schools remained on lockdown until we received full clearance from all local law enforcement departments.
During the incident, local law enforcement provided additional security and assistance to every school in our district. While the lockdown is now lifted, local police will maintain visibility across our district for the remainder of the day.
We were reminded again of how grateful we are to our local law enforcement for their rapid response and their commitment to always maintain open lines of communication with our school district.
Sincerely,
Natasha L. Adams
Superintendent and CEO
West Clermont Schools