Amid heightened tensions around Mississippi schools following a litany of threats in the last week, law enforcement was alerted on Tuesday to a suspicious-looking man walking near Magee High School with a machete.
Magee police responded to the scene, where they found Willie Jones holding the long blade as he walked near the school. Jones was subsequently arrested for felony possession of methamphetamine and transported to the police station.
“I want to assure you that we take any and all potential threats to our children seriously,” Magee Police Chief Denis J. Borges said. “While our investigation concluded that there was no immediate danger to the students, we will never take chances when it comes to the safety of our community. The safety of America’s future and our children will always remain a top priority.”
The incident makes 10 safety threats against or pertaining to Mississippi schools since Monday, Sept. 8.