Tacoma Police: Potential school shooters arrested for threats made on social media

TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma police have arrested two minors in connection with separate threats made on social media against their respective schools.

On Feb. 23, investigators said they received information about a 12-year-old who was allegedly using social media to threaten individuals at Truman Middle School.

An investigation was launched in connection with Tacoma Public Schools, and officers said probable cause was developed to arrest the 12-year-old and book him into Remann Hall for intimidation and threats. Police also said they recovered a weapon as evidence.

On Feb. 24, investigators said they received information about a 15-year-old who was allegedly using social media to threaten persons at Lincoln High School. The 15-year-old was identified with the help of Tacoma Public Schools, and investigators continued to receive tips from concerned citizens as they sought the location of the teen.

The teen was located on Feb. 25, detained and interviewed by investigators. Police say probable cause was developed to arrest and book the 15-year-old into Remann Hall for Intimidation and Threats.

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The Tacoma Police Department also released the following statement as part of their media release:

"The Tacoma Police Department and Tacoma Public Schools take all threats seriously.  Preventing school shootings requires a partnership between community members, schools and the police. No concern is too small to report. The citizens who observed these threats over social media, and made the call to report them, are to be commended. No threat is too small, if you believe a threat has been made against a school or student in school, please call 911 to report it."

Similar threats on social media have been made against schools in Washington and across the nation in recent weeks. Click here to read more.

Law enforcement told Blaine School District officials last week. that threats that caused the cancellation of classes at schools there Friday are similar to ones received by other Washington schools and schools across the nation.

In Federal Way, Illahee Middle School was the subject of a threat reported to be circulating on social media.

Though there was increased security at the school Friday, Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said investigators believed the credibility of the threat is "very low."

On Friday, Bremerton police officers were notified that there was a threat circulating on social media that was possibly directed at Bremerton High School.

The threat caused concern because it had the abbreviation “BHS” in it.  The school was closed as a precaution while police investigated.

Investigators later found that threat originated in New Mexico and that the suspect in the threat is now in custody.

Cox Media Group