Evansville Police have filed charges in the case involving the “person with a gun” call at Evansville Day School on February 25th. Multiple law enforcement personnel from EPD and the VCSO responded to the school after an employee received a call stating there was a person in the school with a gun. After securing the school, investigators determined the call was false.
The initial information gathered during the investigation indicated the call came from inside of the building. Investigators could not find any evidence to support those statements so the investigation focused on the possibility that the call came from somewhere off campus.
While units were on scene at the school, the 5/3rd Bank at Weinbach and Lloyd was robbed. The suspect in the robbery, John Martinez, was arrested the next day. Investigators began looking into the possibility that the two events were connected, but could not find any immediate link.
Investigators were eventually able to obtain the phone records for the school and were able to get the phone number the call came from. They determined the phone was a pre-paid cell phone. Investigators were able to track the phone back to Martinez.
Police think Martinez made the call to the school believing it would prevent a quick response to the bank. Despite both incidents going on at the same time, the first EPD officer arrived at the bank within 1 minute of the robbery.
Martinez is charged with False Informing and Intimidation for the incident at Day School. Both are Class D Felonies.
He is also facing charges related to the Bank Robbery.
