Westmont threat suspect had weapon near school

February 18—Johnstown, Pa. — A teenage girl arrested early Feb. 6 for threatening Westmont Hilltop schools was allegedly caught with a firearm after posting a note near an elementary school, police radio calls indicate.

Audio from a police officer who allegedly took the weapon as evidence shows the suspect is a 14-year-old girl who now faces juvenile charges.

A separate Cambria County 911 call log reviewed by The Tribune-Democrat on Friday also indicates that police treated the incident as a potentially life-threatening emergency at one point during the pursuit, leading the West Hills regional officer to request backup.

According to a Feb. 6 message to parents from the school district, an overnight parent at the elementary school contacted authorities after hearing a loud noise around 2 a.m. and discovering a broken window and notes. After some time, the teenager was arrested.

The 14-year-old also allegedly left a threatening note at the high school on Jan. 30 that led to an early dismissal that day and the cancellation of classes the next two school days.

Cambria County District Attorney Gregory Neuzebauer previously declined to comment on whether the weapon was recovered during the suspect’s arrest or whether there was an imminent threat to the school district. He repeatedly cited the restrictions of the Juvenile Act, saying only that multiple felony charges had been filed.

School officials also declined to discuss specifics.

Some Westmont parents have repeatedly expressed their displeasure with the DA’s and school officials’ inability to share more information beyond the fact that both the threat at the high school and the broken window at the elementary were allegedly committed by the same person.

At the school board’s Feb. 9 committee meeting and Feb. 16 regular meeting, some parents criticized the board for a lack of transparency and urged district leaders to take more proactive action.