Investigation of School Custodian's Alleged Gun, Hit List to be Finished this Week

The school district is wrapping up its investigation into an incident at Strongsville High School that led to a minor panic Oct. 12 after employees said a custodian had a gun and a list of people to shoot.

Assistant Superintendent Cameron Ryba said Tuesday the district has finished its interviews.

"We have concluded the investigation," Ryba said. "We plan to release the results by the end of the week."

Strongsville police are also investigating. Detective Lt. John Janowski said Monday the probe was on-going, but no arrests have been made and no charges filed.

The custodian has been on paid leave since Oct. 12, when district Business Manager Mark Donnelly reported to police that the custodian had allegedly told people he had a gun in his car and a list of people he wanted to shoot.

Police went to the man's house in Brunswick, but found no evidence of a gun or a threat -- just people who had heard about it through the grapevine.

"Somebody heard he had a gun, but nobody saw one," Detective Lt. John Janowski said last week.

Police believe the alleged threat may have been exaggerated as it was passed along.

"Some people heard that he said he was going to shoot people," Janowski said. "We haven't found anybody yet he actually said it to."

A co-worker at the high school didn't show up for work on Oct. 12, and told his boss it was because he was afraid of the custodian.

That boss told his supervisor, who reported it to Donnelly.

Ryba said the district spoke with a number of people, trying to determine "who heard what" and is now writing up a report on the incident.