A 15-year-old boy was detained at the Juvenile Detention Center after Valparaiso Police said that he brought a knife to the SELF School and threatened to kill another student with it.

According to police, at 2:22 p.m. a SELF teacher reported that earlier in the day, at 12:45 p.m., the boy became upset while working on a group exercise in class, got up from his seat, told the teacher “I will kill you,” then walked out of the room. The boy later returned after calming himself and appeared to be “fine,” the teacher advised.

About 90 minutes later, however, the teacher was told by another student that the boy was in possession of a knife and had threatened “to slit (that student’s) throat.”

When confronted by the principal, the boy pulled a loose knife blade from his pocket and surrendered it, police said.

The Porter County Juvenile Probation Department subsequently authorized the boy’s detention on delinquency charges of intimidation and possession of a knife on school property, police said.

The VPD is also investigating the theft of a laptop computer from an office in the New Creation Men’s Center at 653 Axe Ave.

According to police, the computer was taken sometime between 3:30 p.m. Monday and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. During office hours—8 a.m. to 3 p.m.—the building is open to various people and it can be accessed from several exterior doors.

Police said that small pry marks were visible on the office door and door frame. Damage estimate: $50.

The computer itself was valued at $1,000, although the victim advised that it’s password-protected.

At 10:36 p.m. Tuesday, Francisco J. Ayala-Bolanos, 23, of 1007 Elm St., Apt. 1, was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle as an habitual traffic offender and false informing following a traffic stop in the area of Calumet Ave. and Billings Street.

Police said that Ayala-Bolanos initially gave the investigating officer a false name and that when the officer learned his true name a computer check listed his status as HTV. Police also said that he was issued a citation for an open container violation.

Ayala-Bolanos was transported to Porter County Jail.

Posted 3/10/2010