Former employee causes lockdown at a Mesa school

Charges to possibly be pressed by current school employee

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say a high school in Mesa was put on lockdown after a former employee threatened to shoot a janitor.

Mesa police say the Eastmark High school resource officer learned that a former cafeteria worker verbally threatened to shoot the janitor in the parking lot Monday.

They say the ex-employee also is accused of spitting on the school’s cafeteria manager.

Police say the disgruntled former employee had recently been let go by the high school.

After the lockdown, police say the cafeteria manager wanted to press charges while the janitor declined. Because of that, police have recommended aggravated assault charges against the former employee along with disrupting an educational institution.