A California police department said that it was conducting a terrorist threat and hate crime investigation into the threat of a school shooting on Wednesday.
American High School in Fremont, California, contacted the Fremont Police Department on Wednesday around 9:44 a.m. after a student threatened the school on social media, according to the department statement.
The Patrol and School Resource Officers (SROs) preliminary investigation found that a student’s posts had threatened to shoot a school employee and also contained racial slurs. SROs, working alongside the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD), located the student with his parents off school property, the police said.
Police arrested the 17-year-old male for felony terrorist threats and a hate crime. The suspect’s identity will not be released and he will be housed at a juvenile hall as he is still a minor, according to the police statement.
The parents of a concerned student who was aware of the threats alerted the school of the threat of violence. Police said multiple students were involved in the social media conversation, but “the student who was arrested made direct threats of gun violence.”
“The student also made comments about committing additional gun violence at an unnamed secondary school. At this time, we believe that only the arrested student had made any threats of gun violence,” the police said. “The investigation is ongoing to determine if there are other victims or potential charges on other subjects involved. All other involved students have been identified and are currently being addressed by FUSD staff. ”
A search warrant was issued and executed at the teenager’s home, where police collected evidence but did not find a firearm, according to the statement.
Fremont Police Chief Sean Washington praised the detectives and SROs who successfully investigated the direct threat of violence. Washington also thanked the parents and the student who alerted the school of the dangers.
“The Fremont Police Department is committed to the safety of our community and schools. Considering recent events, I want to ensure the public that school safety is our top priority. I have directed additional patrol checks towards all school campuses, including resources from specialized units,” said Washington.
FUSD Superintendent CJ Cammack released a statement Wednesday, saying the hate-filled social media messages were a “dishonor” to the entire school community. Cammack said the school district will offer support and counseling for those directly affected by the threats of violence.
“As always, we encourage you to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement, and school administration and to seek counseling support for students at their schools as needed,” Cammack said. “In this difficult time, it will be imperative that we keep communication lines open, and work together toward building a stronger, more united community, where every single student and staff member is safe and feels appreciated.”