Patton noted that "a tragedy was averted today," as the teenager never entered the school. "The only reason the individual was not able to fully enter the school was because of the quick and diligent actions of the school staff," Patton said, adding that the teenage boy fled from the school on foot as he was approached by school officials.

Authorities say the 13-year-old boy had researched school shootings online before Thursday's incident at Roosevelt Elementary School in Kenosha.