Teen accused in standoff at Scott ordered to be detained

TPS school chief lauds staff, student demeanor

12/3/2013
BY TAYLOR DUNGJEN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Louis Stroude, 14, and his mother, Lonyel Cole, await his hearing in Juvenile Court. Police said Louis had a pellet gun and a knife in his bookbag at Scott High School. the freshman was charged with making terrorist threats and illegal conveyance of a dangerous weapon onto school property.
Louis Stroude, 14, and his mother, Lonyel Cole, await his hearing in Juvenile Court. Police said Louis had a pellet gun and a knife in his bookbag at Scott High School. the freshman was charged with making terrorist threats and illegal conveyance of a dangerous weapon onto school property.

The day after a Scott High student was involved in a standoff with Toledo police, Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Romules Durant was operating on little, if any, sleep.

He found out about the armed student and the standoff on the first floor of the school Monday as the situation unfolded. He was on vacation when he got the text that there was a “situation.”

He was back in Toledo by 3 a.m. Tuesday and on local airwaves at 5.

“When those things come about, ... [I have] no problem responding … and making sure we have the best end result,” Mr. Durant said.

The student, 14-year-old Louis Stroude, had what turned out to be a pellet gun and a knife in his bookbag. He was charged with making terrorist threats and illegal conveyance of a dangerous weapon onto school property.

Dressed in forest green scrubs Tuesday morning, the teen made his first appearance in Lucas County Juvenile Court. His public defender, Megan Mattimoe, entered a denial plea for the youth, who sat quietly during the brief detention hearing.

Ms. Mattimoe asked Magistrate Laura Restivo to release the boy to his mother and stepfather, who were in court, and put him on house arrest.

Prosecutor Lori Olender, who oversees the juvenile division, recommended he remain in detention because he “had an object that was indistinguishable from a firearm.” The magistrate agreed with Ms. Olender, ordering the teen to remain in detention until his next court appearance, set for Dec. 18.

About the time the boy was in court, Mr. Durant was addressing a gymnasium full of Scott students.

His message was that he was “proud of every one of them and the staff,” he said. “You practice over and over every year, but at the end of the day, when [it's not practice], are you able to do it [with] a calm demeanor and discipline? They all did that.”

Metal detectors were set up at the school Tuesday; additional security and police officers were present and counselors were available. No trouble was reported.

At Rosa Parks Elementary School on Cherry Street near East Manhattan Boulevard, a student was found to have a BB gun Tuesday, said Toledo Public Schools spokesman Patty Mazur. Another student either saw or heard about the gun and told a school administrator, Ms. Mazur said.

The student who had the gun was released to a family member. Disciplinary action is expected to follow. Additional details about the student or circumstances were not available.

“The incident was handled quickly and appropriately,” Ms. Mazur said.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.