Juvenile who entered school fled SPS police, hit with taser

A Springfield school police officer deployed a Taser on a juvenile Wednesday who entered Westport Elementary and Middle School without permission.

The male was on the campus during dismissal. He does not attend Westport but has siblings who are enrolled there and entered the school without permission, according to a message Principal Stephanie Wasko sent to employees and families.

The message obtained by the NewsLeader said the juvenile gained entry to the school when a student opened a locked door and let him inside.

"When our staff confronted the individual, he did not respond to their questions, was evasive, and quickly departed the building," Wasko wrote.

"School police and administrators pursued the individual out of the building while he refused to comply with instructions."

The juvenile has not been identified and no additional information, including his age, was provided.

During the pursuit outside of the building, but still on the school campus, an officer deployed a Taser. This action was observed by others, Wasko wrote. The individual was detained.

In the message, Wasko wrote that the school does not believe the individual entered the school intending to harm others. The district planned for forward its investigation to the Greene County Juvenile Office to explore possible charges, including trespassing.

Stephen Hall, chief communications officer for the district, said there are no additional details to provide at this time. He said it is rare that a school police officer deploys a Taser.

"Safety and security is our top priority. We wanted you to know the facts and this message provides clarity regarding what occurred," Wasko wrote. "This is also a good opportunity to remind students of the need to follow our safety protocols."