TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS INVESTIGATED AT SUN PRAIRIE SCHOOLS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 17, 2026 
  

 
Sun Prairie, WI -- The Sun Prairie Police Department investigated two separate incidents at Sun Prairie schools over the past 24 hours.
 
Royal Oaks Playground Incident
 
On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at around 6:40 p.m., two juveniles got into a fight on the playground at Royal Oaks Elementary School, in the 2200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in Sun Prairie. A middle school-age witness told police they saw a firearm in the waistband of another middle school-age juvenile from Sun Prairie who was involved in the fight. A second juvenile at the scene reported seeing the same thing. Everyone involved left the area before officers arrived.
 
The juvenile later came back to the scene, where officers identified and detained him. During the investigation, he admitted he had brought a toy water gun, not a real firearm. With the guardian's permission, officers went to the juvenile's home and found the water gun.
Officers released the juvenile to a parent with a citation for disorderly conduct. The Sun Prairie Police Department increased its presence at the schools this morning, and school staff did the same. The Sun Prairie Area School District helped with the investigation.
 
Sun Prairie West High School Incident
 
On Thursday, September 17, 2026, at about 10:00 a.m., school staff told the Sun Prairie Police Department they had overheard students talking about a message that included a school threat.
 
Officers went to Sun Prairie West High School and interviewed a high school-age Sun Prairie juvenile connected to the message. Officers searched the juvenile and an associated vehicle and found no weapons.
 
Police determined there was no credible threat to students or staff. The investigation is ongoing, and criminal charges against the juvenile are likely. The Sun Prairie Police Department takes all reports of school threats seriously and will pursue appropriate enforcement.
 
School safety is a shared responsibility across the entire community. Both incidents were brought to the department's attention because someone spoke up, and that reporting played a critical role in how quickly and safely each situation was resolved. As a reminder, concerns about school safety can be reported at any time through the Speak Up, Speak Out Wisconsin confidential tip line, managed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Tips can be submitted at https://speakup.widoj.gov, via the mobile app, or by calling 1-800-MY-SUSO-1.
Anyone with information related to either incident is asked to contact the Sun Prairie Police Department at (608) 837-7336.
 
Media Contact:
Lt. Ray Thomson
Sun Prairie Police Department
rthomson@cityofsunprairie.com
(608) 513-8506