Father in custody after threat on Purdy student
October 26, 2016
Charlea Estes
Purdy Schools were in lock down yesterday, Tuesday, October 25, after the Monett Police Department received notification of a father threatening to harm himself and his two children, one of whom attends Purdy School.
According to a press release by the Purdy Police Department, Dr. Steven Chancellor, superintendent of Purdy Schools, called them after receiving information from Monett that a parent was making threats. The school went into lock down around 9 a.m. for about 45 minutes, according to Dr. Chancellor. Purdy Chief of Police Jackie Lowe responded to the school, and all unlocked doors were secured. Dr. Chancellor said, “We made sure no one was getting in or out without us knowing who they were and why they were here.”
According to the release, the father was distraught and had been fighting with his wife about finances. He told his wife that he was going to kill himself and take his two children with him. One child was at Purdy School and the other was with a grandmother on Madison Street, also in Purdy.
Chancellor went on to state that he was not aware of how serious the nature of the threat was until later. He said, “It wouldn’t have changed how we handled it, but I was under the impression that Monett was where things were happening.”
He added that Lowe remained in the school while two Barry County deputy vehicles were parked at either end of their circle drive, monitoring anyone who came on campus.
In a statement made on the Purdy Schools’ Facebook page, Dr. Chancellor had stated the incident was outside of the Purdy area, which was how he was initially informed.
Chief Lowe said that once he received a call from Dr. Chancellor, Lowe contacted officer Russ Nichols, who was off duty at the time, and asked him to respond to the location of the second child on Madison Street.
Nichols located the man at his mother’s residence on Madison. According to Lowe, the man said he was going to hang himself, and Nichols said, “We’re not going to let you do that.” The suspect then said, “Then you’ll have to shoot me.”
Nichols was able to take the man into custody where he was transported to the Freeman West Hospital in Joplin for a 96-hour mental health evaluation.
The Purdy Police Department was assisted by the Wheaton Police Chief Clint Clark and the Barry County Sheriff’s office.
Charlea Estes
Purdy Schools were in lock down yesterday, Tuesday, October 25, after the Monett Police Department received notification of a father threatening to harm himself and his two children, one of whom attends Purdy School.
According to a press release by the Purdy Police Department, Dr. Steven Chancellor, superintendent of Purdy Schools, called them after receiving information from Monett that a parent was making threats. The school went into lock down around 9 a.m. for about 45 minutes, according to Dr. Chancellor. Purdy Chief of Police Jackie Lowe responded to the school, and all unlocked doors were secured. Dr. Chancellor said, “We made sure no one was getting in or out without us knowing who they were and why they were here.”
According to the release, the father was distraught and had been fighting with his wife about finances. He told his wife that he was going to kill himself and take his two children with him. One child was at Purdy School and the other was with a grandmother on Madison Street, also in Purdy.
Chancellor went on to state that he was not aware of how serious the nature of the threat was until later. He said, “It wouldn’t have changed how we handled it, but I was under the impression that Monett was where things were happening.”
He added that Lowe remained in the school while two Barry County deputy vehicles were parked at either end of their circle drive, monitoring anyone who came on campus.
In a statement made on the Purdy Schools’ Facebook page, Dr. Chancellor had stated the incident was outside of the Purdy area, which was how he was initially informed.
Chief Lowe said that once he received a call from Dr. Chancellor, Lowe contacted officer Russ Nichols, who was off duty at the time, and asked him to respond to the location of the second child on Madison Street.
Nichols located the man at his mother’s residence on Madison. According to Lowe, the man said he was going to hang himself, and Nichols said, “We’re not going to let you do that.” The suspect then said, “Then you’ll have to shoot me.”
Nichols was able to take the man into custody where he was transported to the Freeman West Hospital in Joplin for a 96-hour mental health evaluation.
The Purdy Police Department was assisted by the Wheaton Police Chief Clint Clark and the Barry County Sheriff’s office.
