A 15-year-old student has been arrested for a post on social media that threatened Carlsbad High School, police said.
The Instagram threat prompted a precautionary lockdown at Carlsbad High School Monday and closed the school for two days.
The Carlsbad Police Department said Wednesday that they have arrested a 15-year-old female student from the school.
Carlsbad Police Department Lieutenant Pete Pascual said the minor was arrested Tuesday at her home on suspicion of a criminal threat.
“The message really is, and really the takeaway of all of this, is that when anyone – whether you're a juvenile or an adult – you commit crimes that threaten the public safety and in this particular case the safety of children on campus, law enforcement and the community and the school district take it safely – and the children are our top priority, in protecting their safety,” Pascual said.
Rick Grove, a school superintendent that acts as the district spokesperson, said the incident was a cautionary tale for parents and students alike.
“We live in an era of rapidly evolving technology and students now have great power at their disposal with technology and I would hope parents would take this opportunity to talk to their kids about the magnitude of their actions,” Grove said. “A momentary lapse of judgment can have consequences – this incident alone, not only did 2,600 students lose a day and a half of their instruction, but the significant county state and local resources dedicated to bringing the issue to swift resolution are a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.”
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They said outside groups such as Internet Crimes Against Children helped the department track the post to its creator. The department said the FBI and the School District also helped.
Police said the investigation found no indication that the student had any intentions or means to follow through with the threat.
The school district will continue an investigation separate from the police investigation, Grove said. The actions taken by the suspect are an expellable offense, Grove said, and the girl will have an opportunity to make a statement before school officials before they make their decision.
