Officials provide insight on arrest at Peshtigo High School

PESHTIGO – Additional information has recently been released by local officials following an arrest at the Peshtigo High School on Monday, Jan. 26.

The City of Peshtigo Police Department responded to a call at approximately 11:43 a.m. regarding a report of a “suspicious male party who was possibly carrying a gun on his person,” they shared in a release.

The suspect has since been identified as Trevor Salewsky, a 33-year-old male from Menominee, Mich.

In an email shared with families and provided to the Peshtigo Times, Superintendent Patrick Rau explained what occurred, “Upon entering the front doors, the suspect traveled to the blood drive in the gym where he remained until under police custody. During the response, the suspect was under the supervision of adults in the White Gym until the police arrived. The Peshtigo police officers were able to safely secure the weapon without incident in the high school office.”

According to a report from Detective Hynnek of the City of Peshtigo Police Department, a semiautomatic handgun and two knives were located in Salewsky’s waistband.

After being searched by two police officers and handcuffed, the suspect was escorted to the squad car.

“[The] subject had hidden [a] handcuff key in his buttocks area and was able to unlock himself. He pretended he was still handcuffed once at jail so [the] officer who released him from the squad never anticipated he was out of his handcuffs. Once he came out of [the] squad, he physically attacked the officer,” the police department explained in a comment on their Facebook page.

Although the key supposedly worked to open the handcuffs, Hynnek wrote that the key was not the same brand as any of the handcuffs used by police officers in the department.
Salewsky is currently being held in the Oconto County Jail due to comments made regarding authorities in Marinette County.

As of Friday, Jan. 31, a $50,000 cash bond was set in court and eight felony/misdemeanor counts were filed.

The four felony counts were: possessing a firearm on school grounds, resisting an officer and causing substantial bodily harm, attempting to disarm an officer and battery to a person involved with a court or legal system.

The four misdemeanor counts were: theft of property less than $2,500, disorderly conduct and two counts of possessing a dangerous weapon at school.

Following this event, Rau released a second letter on Wednesday, Jan. 28, to answer questions from parents and guardians.

“Each day, our buildings welcome a wide range of visitors, including parents, community members, siblings, and school partners… additional events occur before and after school hours,” he explained.

Rau said that the district administrators and board members will work together to “assess potential vulnerabilities associated with these events and determine whether adjustments to procedures are necessary.”

They will also continue discussing the “feasibility, roles and responsibilities of a school resource officer,” Rau wrote.

Additionally, he explained that, “During the school day, all exterior doors are locked. Visitors must enter through an intercom system and are screened using video surveillance before access is granted. When a visitor is unexpected or not recognized, staff ask them to state their purpose for entering the building.”

Some of the action steps Rau said they will be looking into include an enhanced screening process, the practicality of metal detectors and additional signage regarding visitor expectations.

He closed off his letter by writing, “I am grateful for the courage of our students who spoke up, the prompt response of the Peshtigo Police Department and the dedication of our staff who work every day to maintain a safe and secure learning environment. Thank you for your continued partnership, trust and support.”

These sentiments were shared by the City of Peshtigo Mayor Katie Berman, who wrote “I am incredibly proud of our students, our school district staff and our Peshtigo Police Department for their swift, professional actions today. Because of that response, a dangerous situation was addressed quickly and no one was harmed.”

“The safety and security of our schools is always top of mind for our educators, staff, law enforcement and elected officials. Today showed exactly why preparation, communication and calm leadership matter.”

Salewsky is scheduled to appear back in court on Feb. 16.