UPDATE: GFH student arrested for gun threat

A Great Falls High student is facing a felony intimidation charge for reportedly threatening to "do a school shooting" at the school.

Brock Doty, 17, will be held at the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center until at least 9 a.m. Saturday. By court order, Doty must wear a GPS tracking device, post a $10,000 bond and remain at least a half mile from Great Falls High School grounds while the court assesses how to move forward.

"He does not get out any earlier than nine o'clock tomorrow morning," Judge John Kutzman said of Doty during a hearing Friday afternoon. "And he does not get out at nine o'clock tomorrow morning unless he has a GPS device."

Doty first appeared in juvenile court Friday morning after police and school authorities obtained information from a text he shared with a fellow student earlier this week in which he allegedly threatened a shooting at the school, possibly Monday, Nov. 2, after crosstown football.

Kutzman was torn Friday morning between allowing Doty — who was described as a good student, football player and leader — to return to his family's home or remain at the juvenile detention center. Kutzman said he wanted to believe this was a "sick joke," but he had to listen to what authorities were telling him.

"You did this," Kutzman said to Doty. "The police have no choice but to take this seriously."

Kutzman said he worried he was going to "let go of the next guy" who was going to carry out a school shooting.

"Do you understand how serious this is?" Kutzman asked Doty.

The teen nodded his head.

The text messages that Doty exchanged with the fellow Great Falls High student detailed the planned attack, according to an affidavit.

The student and her father came to the Great Falls Police Department around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to report the exchange from earlier that evening, the affidavit states.

The conversation detailed in the court documents started with relationship advice Doty offered the other student and then turned darker.

"I hate people in general," he wrote, according to court documents.

"Same," the other student responded.

"Wanna do a school shooting?" he texted back.

"Brock that's a lot."

"I'm serious," he responded.

"shut up you're not," 

"Yes I am I've been planning it for a while."

"Brock"

"Yes," he typed back.

"you're not being serious."

"Don't believe just watch you will be a survivor," he said.

"Brock stop it you're freaking me out."

"Okay."

"are you being serious?????????"

"Yes I'm telling you."

"Brock.... would you really do that"

"Yes I am going to after crosstown the following Monday," he answered.

"call me right now"

The court document said he next sent a picture of a rifle leaning against the wall and under the picture, it said: "I hide my gun from my family."

Great Falls Police detective and school resource officer Cory Reeves testified that he arrested Doty after receiving information of the text conversation.

Reeves said he did an initial threat assessment on Doty, and from his training said the more details a person provides for carrying out a plan of a school shooting, the higher the risk the the person is.

The document said patrol officers initially responded to Doty's residence before Reeves' involvement, and he admitted to sending the text messages. Officers seized three unsecured rifles from Doty's room.

On Friday afternoon, Cascade County attorney Valarie Winfield argued it was in the best interest of public safety and the safety of the Great Falls Public Schools system for the court to establish a significant threshold for Doty's release.

"This morning the state did suggest a bond amount of $20,000 given the nature of the threat, the nature of the charges and the specificity that went into the threats that were made," Winfield said. "It is the state's position that at this time he is a high risk, given the level of detail, the planning before, the access to weapons and ammunition, the fact that he had indicated a party of survivors — and that suggests he has an idea of targets beyond just the general Great Falls High School."

John Schaffer, head of investigations at GFPD, said Friday afternoon that because Doty is 17, he shouldn't have guns without the supervision of adults. Schaffer said GFPD was investigating how Doty obtained the guns and whether his parents knew about them.

At the station the night of the exchange, Doty again admitted to sending the text messages but said he was not wanting to hurt anyone, according to the affidavit.

Doty was released to his mother around 3:30 a.m. and was advised Reeves would conduct follow-up interviews.

Reeves determined there were grounds to arrest Doty on felony intimidation charges.

Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent Tammy Lacey said the school district is taking this very seriously, and she wanted to assure the public that the threat has been mitigated.

"National events in Oregon and Arizona, as well as the situation regarding the student that was arraigned in court today, remind us that violence and/or threats of violence to students and schools are unacceptable in our community," Lacey said. "Any reports of threats of violence will be taken seriously and investigated immediately. The GFPD has indicated that they will seek to prosecute to the full extent of the law."

Though Doty does not have a criminal history, Reeves testified at Friday morning's hearing that in May 2014, Doty "chopped a teacher in the throat" with his hand, but the teacher decided not to pursue criminal charges. He has no reported history of mental illness, either.

Schaffer said that it's difficult to figure out what's in a person's mind, but if they make threats, "this is no joke."

Because of recent school shootings in other states, Reeves said school administrators want Doty to be banned from school property and undergo a threat assessment.

"The staff is scared," Reeves said.

Tom Moore, GFPS assistant superintendent, said Doty is suspended pending the investigation and an administrative hearing.

"It's upsetting to read about this in other areas," Moore said. "We're not removed from that."

He said that the actions of a student and the relationship with police allowed them to prevent a potential tragedy.

"It's unfortunate that we have to think about it," he said.

Doty's attorney, Meghan Lulf-Sutton, questioned at the morning hearing that police received their initial report from the family of the person he was texting and originally allowed Doty to go.

Lacey asked that in the wake of this, parents and the community can help keep kids safe by talking to their kids.

"Tell them that you will support them in doing the brave and courageous thing to report any concerns, no matter how trivial they may seem, to administrators or the police," she said.

Schaffer said GFPD and GFPS learned of the potential threat because of "a courageous student at Great Falls High. It took a lot of guts."

He said that as the nation is having a national conversation about school violence, "this is how these things are averted."

Lacey encouraged people to report any broad or general concerns to administrators and police as well as locking up and securing guns and limiting access to only legitimate use of firearms. A letter is being sent home to parents outlining other safety tips as well as addressing this threat.

Jenn Rowell contributed to this report.