Middle School Student In Custody After Allegedly Handing Out Poisoned Chewing Gum

LASALLE, Colo. (CBS4)- An eighth grader is in custody Thursday after police say he gave poisoned chewing gum to his classmates.

It allegedly happened at North Valley Middle School in LaSalle. Police said the student took stick gum out of the wrapper and then soaked it in bleach and other cleaning chemicals. Then, he allegedly wrapped the gum back in its wrapper so it looked normal and handed it out to other students.

Administrators heard about the chewing gum incident and threats against another student and told the boy not to come to school on Tuesday. They were worried that he might have access to weapons, so the district locked down the schools in LaSalle for an hour before police arrested the boy.

"We just got a note sent home with the kids saying that there had been a lockout," said LaSalle resident Randi Binder.

The teenager facing likely criminal charges is 14 years old. He's in custody at the Platte Valley Youth Detention Center in Greeley.

The LaSalle police chief said just one student chewed the gum and was checked at a hospital a day later. That student was not harmed.

The chief said both the gum poisoning suspect and the boy he made threats to, are part of the same group of friends that hang out together.

"I think it has a lot to do with not teaching our children to respect other children, other children's property, other children's thoughts," said LaSalle resident Angie Estala.

Police are still trying to determine how dangerous the poisoned gum could have been.