A Hazel Park High School student was recently arrested for a threatening text message featuring a picture of a handgun.
By: Andy Kozlowski | Madison-Park News | Published November 19, 2025
HAZEL PARK — Following an incident where a student was arrested at Hazel Park High for sending a threatening text, officials are reminding parents to speak with their kids about the importance of alerting authorities whenever they sense danger.
According to a police report, the Hazel Park Police Department received multiple calls the night of Nov. 9 regarding a threat against students at the school, located at 23400 Hughes Ave. The concern related to a screenshot of a text circulating among students. The message was sent by another student at the school.
One text stated, “Anybody that jumped me about to die tomorrow,” and included a photo of a black handgun, followed by another message that read, “I got more coming tomorrow, too — tell everybody to watch (their) back.”
The student is a juvenile and will not be identified. The student was quickly arrested and lodged at Children’s Village, pending charges.
“I want to say thank you to our school resource officers and our police department for getting on top of this,” said Mike Webb, the mayor of Hazel Park. “I also want to thank the teachers and counselors who watch out for these situations, and the students who speak up. They need to feel comfortable coming forward to trusted adults with any concerns they have.”
Hazel Park Police Chief William Hamel said that police take no chances when investigating threatening remarks.
“All threats to school safety will be fully investigated, and if found to be credible, we will work to pursue criminal charges,” Hamel said in an email. “Parents have an obligation to speak with their children about the use of threatening language and social media. Being a child with a developing mind is not an excuse when they make statements to commit violence. We have to do better to show there are consequences.”
Amy Wilcox, the superintendent of the Hazel Park Public Schools district, said her team continues to promote the message of “Hear something, say something,” with options for students and their families to discreetly report any troubling behavior. One option is the confidential tipline OK2Say, found at ok2say.state.mi.us.
“Specially trained technicians assess each tip and forward it to the proper agency,” Wilcox said. “If the situation is an immediate emergency, it is sent directly to law enforcement.”
She said the district is fortunate to have two school resource officers: one at Hazel Park High School and the other at Hazel Park Junior High S. Each works closely with the Hazel Park police.
“Students are encouraged to report anything to them, during or after the school day,” Wilcox said. “They look into everything that is reported to them and keep in constant contact with school administrators regarding everything that is reported.”
The district was also among the first in Michigan to implement the security system Centegix across all its buildings.
“This allows staff to request help in an emergency by pressing a button on a badge. It tells staff and authorities where the incident is occurring, to help cut down on response time,” Wilcox said. “Our staff is trained how to use the system properly, and they are given refresher training throughout the school year.”