Suspect identified following threats to JCPS employees

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A person is in custody after threats were made concerning two Jefferson County Public School properties.

Louisville Metro police were called to assist after threats were made toward adults at the VanHoose Education Center and Frayser Elementary School, according to JCPS spokeswoman Renee Murphy.

LMPD identified the man as Jason Smiley, who JCPS said is an employee at Frayser through AmeriCorps.

Police told WAVE 3 News he started a live video on Facebook while at the school on Monday.

“You’re lucky I don’t just show up there to the school,” Smiley said in the video.

Some of the comments made on the video point toward the use of a gun.

"My gun is used for, what is it used for? Injustice,” Smiley also said. “If you do something injustice to me, it could be any type of crime, you better worry about waking up tomorrow."

However, Smiley insisted in the video he is not a threat.

“My threat is, I’m suing Jefferson County Public Schools,” said Smiley, “and there ain’t nothing you can do about that. You can call the police all you want. They can’t touch me. If you think the police can touch me, they can’t.”

You can see when Smiley is arrested about 30 minutes into the video. LMPD spokesman Dwight Mitchell said he was taken into custody peacefully.

After the arrest, a much calmer Smiley talks about what may have made him so upset. He says he was trying to file a grievance with JCPS at VanHoose Education Center when he says he was slighted by employees there.

Smiley said in the video that he is the owner of the business E and J Car Services.

He is currently charged with unlawful possession of a weapon on school property.

Copyright 2020 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.