The Grossmont Union High School District confirmed Wednesday the arrest of a West Hills High School student accused of posting a disturbing message on social media.
The student was arrested "for making terrorist threats after he posted a photo of a Lego rifle on social media with a threatening message," district spokesperson Catherine Martin posted via Twitter.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) confirmed the student is 14 years old and in 9th grade at the school. The student posted a photo of an AR-15 rifle made out of Legos on Instagram with a caption that read, “Don’t come to school tomorrow.”
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The SDSO said the assistant principal of West Hills High School called deputies on Tuesday at around 10 p.m. to report the incident. Another student had asked the suspect to take down the Instagram post “due to its threatening implications,” but he refused.
The assistant principal told deputies that other students were in fear of the student behind the post.
Deputies traced the post to the student’s home in Lemon Grove and contacted the teen’s parents. The SDSO said deputies learned the student has access to hunting rifles and investigators are now trying to determine if he has access to other weapons.
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The teen was booked into Juvenile Hall; since he is a minor, his name will not be released.
The SDSO said local school districts and officials are taking “every threat seriously” and nothing will be “dismissed or ignored.”
Anyone who hears of threats of violence can call the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (888) 580-8477 or the SDSO at (858) 565-5200.
West Hills High School is located along busy Mast Boulevard in Santee and enrolled more than 1,700 students in grades nine through 12 in the 2016-2017 school year.
