Police investigate Twitter threats at Mountain View High School

MERIDIAN - The Meridian Police Department is investigating a hoax threat made on Twitter regarding a possible shooting at Mountain View High School.

One of the tweets sent Sunday night implied that a particular student was going to 'shoot up' Mountain View High School on Monday. That student responded by tweeting a photo of a handgun in a backpack, but an image search revealed that picture was taken from the Internet and is not an original photo.

West Ada School District spokesman Eric Exline says investigators have determined the threat was a hoax. Police say neither student has access to guns.

Police officers followed up on the tweets early Monday morning and with the two students who they say are involved. The investigation was launched after a KTVB High School Sports producer spotted the tweets and notified police. Officers were able to identify the students, and were at their homes by 1 a.m. Monday to question them.

KTVB is not releasing the names or Twitter handles of the students involved because both are minors and neither has been charged with a crime.

Officers say both students admitted to the tweets, but said they were intended as a joke.

'Unfortunately, [neither] the students involved nor some of the parents seem to realize the seriousness of this behavior,' Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea wrote in a statement.

Meridian Police officers are working with Mountain View High School officials and the two students' parents as the investigation continues. According to Exline, the school learned about the threat from police early Monday morning before classes started, but made the decision to continue with class as normal. He did not know whether the two students involved in the threat came to school.

'They clearly knew before school even started that this wasn't a real event,' he said. 'It was two kids using Twitter in a way they shouldn't have been using it, adding up to a message that was completely inappropriate and should have been dealt with. But by the time school started this morning, it was very obvious that there was never any threat.'

Just before 11:30 a.m., the school sent out an automated phone call to parents alerting them to a 'hoax Twitter message.'

'Police addressed and resolved this issue with the individuals and their parents by 2 a.m this morning. They assure you that the individuals have been dealt with accordingly,' the recording continued.

Many Mountain View High School parents took to social media to express their displeasure that officials did not alert them sooner. They did not hear from the school district until well after classes had started.

'I understand it's a hoax, but it's still scary knowing something could've been going on,' said parent Frank Harper.

Harper says as soon as he heard about the possible threat at his daughter's school, he rushed there.

'It's not good, it's frustrating, just communication you know,' said Harper.

Harper was upset he found out the threat on our Facebook page, rather than from school officials.

Exline says they didn't use the automated phone alert system before school because they knew the social media threat was a joke.

'I think they dropped the ball and should've let us know a lot sooner,' said Harper.

Exline says they waited because they didn't have all the facts before school started, but wanted to notify parents once they did.

'I have a nephew who goes to that school, I would not have had my nephew go to school but believe there was a credible threat' said Tracy Basterrechea.

Exline told KTVB there will be repercussions for the tweets and potential threats made. It will be up to the school to decide the students' punishment, but Exline said they could be suspended or even expelled. Police have also forwarded the case to juvenile prosecutors, who will review it for possible criminal charges.

Read or Share this story: http://ift.tt/1oaMfha