PORTLAND — Police arrested a Portland man Feb. 13 after he allegedly harassed and threatened to shoot a group of children on the playground at Reiche Community School.

Police said Derek Weeks, 32, was on the school grounds at 166 Brackett St. with his own child at about 3 p.m. when he confronted the group of seven third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

Weeks allegedly made derogatory and racial comments to the students, and threatened to shoot them, imitating a firearm with a hand gesture. No actual weapon was displayed or located, police said.

After police were alerted, Weeks was arrested at a High Street residence. He was originally held on $250,000 cash bail and charged with seven counts of criminal threatening and a count of interference with Constitutional and civil rights.

Six of the criminal threatening charges were later dropped on Friday after the district attorney’s office consolidated them. Bail was also reduced to $250, and Weeks was released about 6 p.m.

But he was arrested a few hours later for violating conditions of his release after police did not find him at his mother’s house. He was released again on $60 bail.

Superintendent of Schools Emmanuel Caulk said the incident does not define the school district or the community.

“We will never tolerate such extremely inappropriate behavior in our schools or on our school grounds,” Caulk said in a prepared statement.


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