Delco Man Charged in “Chilling” Waldron Mercy Academy Threats
The Main Line school was in lockdown on Thursday.
Waldron Mercy Academy in Merion Station, the school that Delco resident Gregory Vento is accused of threatening. (Photo by Victor Fiorillo)
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Gregory Vento of Delco Charged With Making Threats Against Waldron Mercy Academy
Parents with students at the prestigious Waldron Mercy Academy in Merion Station have been on edge since last Thursday, when the school went into lockdown. Administrators eventually lifted the lockdown. But the school was slim on details as to what caused it, according to multiple parents who spoke with Philly Mag.
According to Lower Merion Police Superintendent Andy Block, officers arrested 61-year-old Glenolden resident Gregory Vento later that same day in connection with the incident. School officials called police after receiving a series of four voicemails that day from a man identifying himself as Greg Vento, according to court documents.
Police reviewed the voicemails. They say Vento made statements such as the following: “I have the right to kill you”; “I’m coming up there and people are going to answer”; “You know who this is and if I don’t start getting phone calls, people are getting buried”; “People have the right to die”; and “I’m really happy I can start killing people now.”
Lower Merion police officer Donald Reilly made contact with Vento and, according to court documents, says he was able to confirm that Vento was the one who had made the threats and that Vento is related to a former Waldron Mercy student and to a person who volunteers at the school.
“This is all so absolutely chilling,” one parent, who says the school had only provided vague information, told me after I revealed to them the nature of the threats. “Thank God that Lower Merion police were able to act so quickly.”
Officials have charged Vento with three felony counts of making terroristic threats, three counts of harassment, and one count of the criminal use of a communication facility, i.e. a phone. Vento, who remains in county jail in lieu of bail, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on November 20th. There’s no attorney of record for him in the court docket.
Administrators at Waldron Mercy Academy did not return calls seeking comment.
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