Alaska police arrest students for planning school shooting

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska authorities say two middle school students have been arrested after another student overheard their plans to carry out a school shooting, officials said.

The Juneau Police Department arrested two 13-year-old students Thursday at Floyd Dryden Middle School after receiving a phone call from a parent of the classmate who overheard plans, the Juneau Empire reported Thursday.

Police officers located the implicated students and held them in custody before school Thursday, authorities said. Following an investigation, the students were charged with felony terroristic threatening in the second degree, and transported to the Johnson Youth Center.

The school district sent emails to inform parents there was no threat to their children, and that phone calls would be made to explain what happened, school officials said.

“We really want students to know there are significant consequences now to making threats like this,’’ Juneau School District superintendent Bridget Weiss said. “Words and pictures matter. They do indicate threat.’’

School proceeded as normal Thursday following the students’ arrest, officials said.

That one phone call was an example of the “If you see something, say something’’ mode of thinking, Weiss said.

“It’s a pretty cool thing when kids do the right thing, and in this case, kids did the right thing,’’ she said.

Students and parents are encouraged to report any threats to the authorities, police said.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 11/10/2024 14:39