Nov 13, 2018 3 min read

A Lawrence woman already facing charges of terroristic threats for allegedly threatening to “shoot up” Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School in the Canon-McMillan School District last week was charged Tuesday by Cecil Township with aggravated assault for those statements.

Amanda L. Jarosh, 49, of 1468 Yorktown Drive, was arrested Friday on two counts of terroristic threats by township police Detective James Brose for allegedly making threats against the school. Brose said there is a relatively new section in the state crimes code that allowed police to also charge her with aggravated assault for allegedly threatening to get an assault rifle and shoot a teacher and principal as well as others at the school.

Brose was called Friday after the school received a telephone call from a supervisor with Washington Behavioral Resources who advised that during a call with Jarosh she reportedly told a therapist she was unhappy with the school and that she was “going to shoot up the school and then go home and slit her wrists.”

Brose went to Jarosh’s home and talked with her. She reportedly admitted to making the statement, but said she was upset at the time and did not really mean it. He took her into custody and charged her with the threats.

Police also learned from an acquaintance of Jarosh that she received messages Thursday that indicated Jarosh was going to get an assault rifle and start taking people out. The acquaintance said she initially thought Jarosh was joking and ignored it. She contacted police after Jarosh was arrested on the threats charges.

Jarosh was initially arraigned on the misdemeanor threats charges before District Judge Traci McDonald and placed in Washington County jail on $15,000 bond with conditons of having no contact with the school or any victims.

Jarosh was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Jesse Pettit on the felony assault charges. He denied her bond because of serious concerns about the safety of the victims and community. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday before McDonald.

Brose said the investigation is continuing.

The threat last week was not the only incident involving suspected violence at a Canon-McMillan school. North Strabane Township police were called Friday to Canon-McMillan High School after two students reported that another student walked by wearing a hooded shirt that covered his face, said police Chief Brian Hughes. He reportedly said “I have a gun.”

“He never made a threat nor did he threaten to shoot anyone,” Hughes said.

The two students reported it to the staff, who contacted the school’s resource officer. Additional officers were sent to search the school for the student. Police talked with several students wearing similar clothing, but never found the person they were looking for, Hughes said.

No weapon was found in the school, Hughes said. The school was never placed on lockdown.

The two students involved could not identify the other student, Hughes said. Other potential witnesses were also interviewed.

“We couldn’t verify anything,” Hughes said. “There was no corroboration. We are not saying it didn’t happen, we just can’t say it did happen.”

The threat against Hills-Hendersonville prompted an online petition to have Canon-Mac provide resource officers at all district schools, which had close to 1,000 signatures Tuesday. The district now has just three officers.

Superintendent Michael Daniels did not immediately return a call seeking comment.