Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak says he hasn't had access to last year's mental health report following a purported threat made by the Buffalo mass shooting suspect.

Korchak on Wednesday said Payton Gendron was interviewed by state police about a year ago after the then-Susquehanna Valley High School student made disturbing comments about murder and suicide during an online class.

Korchak said although Gendron advised a teacher his remarks were a joke, state police took the student to Binghamton General Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

At a news conference at his Binghamton office, Korchak said Gendron was evaluated by a mental health professional. The district attorney said "we don't have details of that report."

Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak speaks at a news conference on May 18, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak speaking to reporters on May 18, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
loading...

Korchak noted the student was released to his parents and returned home. He was permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies because "at that point he was not a threat."

Korchak said police, school officials and mental health professionals "don't have a crystal ball. They can't read into the future." He said they could only evaluate Gendron based on the information they had at that time.

The district attorney said the case involved a 17-year-old student "who had no history of being treated for any mental illness that we know of." He said a person can't be detained unless he has been found to be "seriously mentally ill."

Korchak said his office is prepared to provide assistance to Erie County District Attorney John Flynn who is handling the case against Gendron for the Buffalo killings.

WNBF News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM logo
Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

How Many in America: From Guns to Ghost Towns

Can you take a guess as to how many public schools are in the U.S.? Do you have any clue as to how many billionaires might be residing there? Read on to find out—and learn a thing or two about each of these selection’s cultural significance and legacy along the way.

25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?

Below, find out where 25 of the most infamous crimes in history took place — and what the locations are used for today. (If they've been left standing.)

LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?

Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

More From WNBF News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM