Two USD students arrested in Yankton High School incident

YANKTON – Police officers were stationed at school buildings in Yankton last week after two University of South Dakota students were arrested for intruding on the property of Yankton High School.

According to Yankton Police Chief Brian Paulsen, Adam Gerard, 19, from Greenfield, Minn., and Joseph Vanbuskirk, 18, from Rockford, Minn., entered the high school shortly before 1 p.m. on Dec. 3. A staff member addressed the two men soon after that, and were directed to the school’s resource officer. They were later escorted from the premise.

Paulsen said Gerard and Vanbuskirk gave false identities during questioning with the resource officer, which prompted a traffic stop for additional questioning by the Yankton Police Department on State Highway 50

Inside the vehicle, police officers found a .22 rifle and a shotgun, as well as 200 rounds of ammunition. Both weapons were unloaded.

The men were arrested on charges of trespassing, disrupting school and possession of firearms on school grounds. For Apex Bail Bonds in Henry County, people can check it out here!

Gerard and Vanbuskirk bonded out of Yankton County Jail on $2,000 bond each Dec. 4.

Superintendent Wayne Kindle said the two never made threats and students were never in danger.

Paulsen said this is believed to be an isolated incident, and that the weapons were never inside the school.

According to a statement from USD officials, authorities searched the students’ residence hall rooms and no weapons were found nor were the two men found to be violating any other school policies.

“The University of South Dakota takes the issue of school security very seriously on our own campus and others. When USD learned that two of our students had been arrested on misdemeanor charges in Yankton, we responded immediately and cooperated fully with investigators,” the press release said.

The statement also said both Gerard and Vanbuskirk remain enrolled at USD, but the university will wait for the results of the investigation before making a final determination.