The Platte City Police Department, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and others, has closed the case on the 2020 racist intrusion on Platte County High School principal Dr. Keith Jones during his introductory Zoom call with students.
Jones was hired during the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and so met staff and students via Zoom in May 2020. The staff meeting went off without incident, but during the meeting with students on May 13, 2020, Platte City police were called when Jones, who is Black, was threatened with physical harm by anonymous Zoom users.
At the time, superintendent Dr. Mike Reik apologized to Jones and students and their families for the disruptions.
The FBI joined the investigation as the incident was classified as a hate crime.
Late last week, Platte City chief of police Joe Wellington announced the suspect had been located, in another state. During a recent interview, the suspect - who was 12 years old at the time of the crime - confessed.
Juvenile charges will be pursued in the child’s home state, Wellington said.
“The Platte City Police Department would like to acknowledge the assistance of the FBI, and of particular note was the cooperation of staff from the Platte County School District, whose assistance was invaluable,” Wellington said.
Reik also issued an update after the chief’s announcement.
“We want to reiterate that racism and other acts of hate have no place in our PCR-3 community,” Reik said in his statement. “Hopefully this will provide some closure for our families and staff. As we look forward, we will continue our efforts in equity and inclusion throughout the district.
“We thank our parents, staff and students for continuing to partner with us in denouncing this type of behavior as we create an inclusive environment that is safe and caring for all learners.”