According to the Great Bend Police Department, on Friday at approximately 11:30 a.m., officers from the Great Bend Police Department responded to Eisenhower Elementary School in reference to criminal threats. Officers were advised that a subject had threatened to cause great harm to a school staff member.
When officers arrived, they located the subject later identified as Matthew McHale at the ball field directly across the street from the school. McHale was acting very erratically, and was very aggressive toward responding officers.
McHale was taken into custody and was eventually transported to the Barton County Jail after being taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital for health safety precautions.
McHale was arrested for aggravated criminal threat and his bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety.
Eisenhower School was put into “lockdown” status during this incident. The Police Department has not identified any connection to Eisenhower School at this time, and believes McHale’s presence there to be a coincidence.
“It is a credit to the school that they reacted so swiftly and decisively in handling this matter. Chief Couch, of the Great Bend Police Department, said “We value our partnership with Great Bend’s schools, and look forward to continuing to work with them in order to always be as prepared as possible to deal with issues which might arise.”