13-year-old charged with terrorism after threatening to shoot Prescott school
May 26, 2022, 8:16 AM | Updated: 8:18 am
(Pixabay Photo)
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX — A 13-year-old student was arrested after he allegedly told a bus driver he was going to “shoot up the school,” authorities said Thursday.
The teen was booked into the Yavapai County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, threatening or intimidating and interfering with an educational institution, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
YCSO investigated a report on May 17 made by a school bus driver who told administrators at Prescott Mile High Middle School the boy made the threat three times, authorities said in the release.
When talking to investigators, the student admitted to making the threats to distract the driver while his friend moved to the back of the bus, according to YCSO. The boy also said he had no real intention of committing the shooting.
“I want to speak to directly to the young people out there. I cannot stress enough the seriousness of making a threat to a school, even if you are ‘just kidding,'” Sheriff David Rhodes said in the release.
“You will be arrested and charged for making these types of dangerous threats. ‘I wasn’t serious’ isn’t a defense, so please be aware that your words have consequences.”
After learning from the teen’s mother that there were firearms locked in a safe inside the home, authorities suggested the combination be changed, something YCSO encourages parents with gun safes to routinely do.
