SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Law enforcement issued an update Friday in an effort help the South Portland school community feel safe, despite lingering concerns over an alleged plot by a former student to harm people at school.
In a letter to the community, the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office said it continues to advocate for the teen to be held at Long Creek Youth Development Center until criminal charges filed against him are resolved in court.
The former student allegedly tried to recruit someone to commit murder at South Portland High School late last year. The district attorney's office said the teen is not allowed on school property, but it is now asking to have him prohibited from a wider distance around the school.
The district attorney's office also said it has received powerful statements from staff expressing fear for students' safety and their own safety, and it's encouraging people to go on record at the next court hearing, which is scheduled for Oct. 19.
Court documents indicate the teen, who was a student at the high school, attempted to induce another person to come to the school and murder high school community members. The documents allege this incident happened the semester before this spring, when officers arrested the teenager.
During that arrest, law enforcement arrested the teenager and confiscated weapons. The father of the teenager, Adam Hamilton, was also arrested and charged with interfering with the arrest of his son.
South Portland Police Chief Dan Ahern said in April a number of rifles were taken from the home. He described them as high-powered. Ahern would not say what kind, or the number of guns, citing the fact the suspect in focus is a juvenile.
"We reduced any type of threat from this individual. We recovered a lot of evidence from his home that will stop any actions that he had planned. We want to ensure the public they are safe," Ahern said.
The teenager faces three charges: arson, terrorizing, and criminal solicitation.