×
×
homepage logo

Snapchat school shooting threat in Leavenworth results in guilty verdict

By Shawn F. Linenberger - | Jan 29, 2025

Joel Walsh

The Leavenworth County Justice Center at 601 S. Third St., Leavenworth

A jury found an 18-year-old Fort Leavenworth teen guilty of using Snapchat to make a shooting threat involving Leavenworth High School.

The jury trial, which took place Jan. 21 in Leavenworth County District Court, concluded with Kaden Ray Bentley being found guilty of aggravated criminal threat, according to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson.

Sentencing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Feb. 26, 2025.

On Sept. 16, 2024, Leavenworth police officers became aware of a potential school shooting threat made on the social media platform Snapchat.

Bentley was eventually located in a home in Fort Leavenworth, where he sometimes stayed with a family member.

A portion of the quoted text of Bentley’s snap (post) was as follows: “LHS count yo days (devil emoji), I’m bout to walk in da [expletive] like John Wick.”

Court documents noted that John Wick is a fictional character from the John Wick movie series. In the movie, John Wick is a vigilante who brings down an organization by shooting its members.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, who prosecuted the case, announced on Sept. 17, 2024, that his office filed a charge of aggravated criminal threat in this case.

“A threat to a school and the consequences of that threat are serious matters,” Thompson said. “The defendant’s actions led to real consequences while creating fear, panic and disruption.”