Man, 19, jailed for Topeka West threat

A 19-year-old man has been booked into the Shawnee County Jail in connection with an incident on Tuesday in which authorities said he made a threat against Topeka West High School.

The arrested man was identified early Wednesday as Isaiah Kei'ome Hodge.

According to Topeka police, the incident leading to Hodge's arrest began around 1 p.m. Tuesday, when Shawnee County emergency dispatchers received a call from "a vigilant citizen," who reported having information about a person who had made threats of violence to Topeka West High School.

Topeka police officials said they quickly notified Topeka Unified School District 501 and the school district's police department. Investigators and officers then tracked down and spoke with all parties that were associated with this threat and this incident," Topeka police officials said.

As the threat had been determined to have been made off-campus, authorities said, Topeka West High School was placed under heightened security — referred to by the district as secure campus mode — while the incident was being investigated. In secure campus mode, classes continue but students aren't allowed to leave any of the school's buildings.

Security precautions were lifted around 2 p.m., after police had taken a person into custody in connection with the incident. No injuries were reported.

Both the Topeka Police Department and USD 501 Police Department "worked seamlessly to ensure the safety" of the students, authorities said.

Hodge was interviewed and subsequently booked into jail in connection with aggravated criminal threat.

No bond had been set as of Wednesday morning, pending Hodge's first appearance before a Shawnee County District Court judge.

This is an ongoing case and and anyone with information may call Topeka police detectives at 785-368-9400 or Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.