Juvenile Male Arrested for Posting School Threat on Snapchat
Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Deputies, investigating a report of a school threat, arrested a 15-year-old juvenile male for Threats to Bomb of Injure Property, a felony. The social media threat referenced “CV”, Central Valley High School. This incident does not appear to be directly connected to Friday’s incident, where a threatening message was found on a bathroom wall.
Central Valley School District Officials were notified of this incident and arrest.
On November 23, 2019, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the report of a social media threat posted on Snapchat. A juvenile school-aged student said the suspect posted a video where he held a bullet near his temple while stating I’m not playing with you (racial slur). I’m gonna put one of these in your temple.”.
Deputies contacted the juvenile black male suspect, who is not a student of Central Valley High School, at his home. After being advised of his rights, the suspect admitted to posting the video. He said, “It was just supposed to be a joke. I thought it would be funny.”
This incident does NOT appear to be connected to Friday’s threat at the high school.
The suspect was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center for one felony count of Threats to Bomb or Injure Property.
The student who immediately reported this Snapchat threat did precisely the right thing. Instead of spreading the post or information to friends or others, spreading fear as well, the student reported the threat.
Again, we ask you to talk to your school-aged children about the importance of immediately reporting school threats, just as this student did. If you see something, say something!
Also, please make sure they are aware, making threats like this, especially toward a school, is not wrong; it is illegal. If you don’t know already, look into your student’s cell phone activity, what apps they are using, and how they are communicating with the friends and others. This is NOT a joke, nor should any student believe it is, even if said to a small group of friends. It only serves to spread fear, and we, as a community, must work together to address this disruptive and criminal behavior.
RCW 9.61.160
Threats to bomb or injure property—Penalty.
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to threaten to bomb or otherwise injure any public or
private school building, any place of worship or public assembly, any governmental property, or
any other building, common carrier, or structure, or any place used for human occupancy; or to
communicate or repeat any information concerning such a threatened bombing or injury, knowing
such information to be false and with intent to alarm the person or persons to whom the
information is communicated or repeated.
(2) It shall not be a defense to any prosecution under this section that the threatened
bombing or injury was a hoax.
(3) A violation of this section is a class B felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20
RCW