Hawaii 24/7 Staff

UPDATED, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11

Big Island police arrested a 23-year-old Kona man in connection with several reports of terroristic threatening Monday in Honokaa. Lyle Kawika Pascubillo of Kailua-Kona is being held at the Kona police cellblock on suspicion of three terroristic threat offenses.

Hamakua patrol officers received a complaint from a 25-year-old Honokaa woman, who reported receiving numerous threatening telephone calls and text messages. Text messages made reference to the threat of violent actions taking place at Honokaa School and Waimea Elementary School.

Investigation revealed the suspect was calling from a residence in Kailua-Kona where Kona patrol officers contacted and arrested him.

Pascubillo remains in police custody while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

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Full text of the letter sent home to Waimea Middle School parents:

Aloha WMS Families:

As you know, Waimea Middle and Elementary Schools went into Lockdown mid-morning today as did both Honokaa Elementary and Honokaa High and Intermediate Schools as a result of an advisory from the police department of a threat. Most other Waimea schools followed suit as a precaution.

An “All Clear” was called once it was confirmed by the police that the suspect was in custody.

Our Waimea Middle School students performed admirably throughout this extended event. While students were safe in classrooms with their teachers, we know it was frightening and uncomfortable. Please give them extra hugs this evening – they have earned it today!

We also thank our faculty and staff for always putting the safety of our children first.

Finally, we thank the elementary school and police for helping coordinate a safe, rapid response.

We do regret that we didn’t have more information to share with families and sincerely thank everyone for following procedures and not coming to campus to ensure everyone’s safety. We hope this never happens again, but if it does, please feel free to call the school office, listen to or log on to local news media, check our school website (www.WaimeaMiddleSchool.org) or go to Facebook. We will do everything possible to keep families informed.

Also, if your family did not receive a call, please call the school office. A total of three calls were placed but the automated system reports some phone numbers were out of service, some calls left on voicemail machines, etc. If you did not receive a call, please check in with the school office to confirm the best number for reaching you in the event of an emergency.

Thank you for your trust, patience and support. As always, we welcome your suggestions.

Mahalo –
Matt Horne
Principal

UPDATED, 1:25 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11

An ALL CLEAR has been called on the LOCKDOWN at Waimea Elementary and Middle Schools and classes are resuming as usual. The individual suspected of making the threat is in custody and an All Clear on the Lockdown of Waimea Elementary and Middle Schools, effectively immediately.

We sincerely thank our students, faculty and staff for following procedures to be safe and take care of each other. We thank our families for their patience because we did not have much information to share other than that their children were safely locked in classrooms. We also thank the police for their quick assistance and the news media for helping keep families informed.

All Waimea Middle School families are being called for a third time to inform them that the Lockdown is over.

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Four schools were issued lockdown orders shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. The affected schools are Waimea elementary and middle school and Honokaa elementary and middle school.

Authorities have said students and faculty are safe, but have not released further details.

From Waimea Middle School:

This is a repeat of an earlier advisory to reassure families of Waimea Middle School that students are safe but both Waimea Middle School and Waimea Elementary School continue to be in Lockdown. What we know is that the police received a threat that mentioned Waimea schools and Honokaa schools and all four of these schools are currently in lockdown. Also, several other Waimea schools have gone into a precautionary lockdown.

The police have the campuses entrances secured.

We will continue to keep you informed. If you have questions, please call the school:

Waimea Elementary School: 887-7636 Ext. 221

Waimea Middle School: 887-6090 Ext. 222.