One arrested following threat against Horace Middle School

(HORACE) -- At approximately 7:53 a.m. Tuesday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a first party tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding a shooting threat to the Horace Middle School in Horace, ND.

A Cass County Deputy, who was in Horace at the time the tip was received, immediately contacted the West Fargo School Resource Officer assigned to the Horace Middle School and advised them of the threat. Cass County Deputies in the Horace area immediately responded to the school, along with the West Fargo School Resource Officer, to provide security. In addition to Horace Middle School, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to the other rural Cass County Schools as a precaution and extra visibility.  These extra precautions measures remained in place until the suspect was taken into custody.

The tip identified 35-year-old James P. Donnelly as the suspect. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, working collaboratively with area law enforcement, the Metro Area Street Crimes Unit, and the US Marshal’s Task Force, located Donnelly at a local hotel in Fargo and arrested him around 9:15 a.m. for an outstanding warrant unrelated to the incident.  Through the course of the investigation, Mr. Donnelly was also charged with a felony terrorizing charge. Mr. Donnelly did not have any weapons with, or on him, at the time of his arrest.  Mr. Donnelly was transported to the Cass County Jail.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with the West Fargo Police Department, the Cass County State's Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the US Marshal’s Service, and Southeast Human Services Mental Health Staff, to thoroughly investigate the incident. The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank their local agency partners and federal partners for the quick response and apprehension of Mr. Donnelly. Based on their investigation, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office has no reason to believe there are any further threats at this time.

No further information is available for release.