San Angelo Police Arrest 1 Student in Connection with Social Media Threats

 

SAN ANGELO, TX —Central High School Principal Bill Waters said the situation is contained. Thursday night, he issued a statement via Twitter.

"Today we dealt with two issues that have raised concern about attending school tomorrow.  Working with my team, Central Office, & SAPD, the threats are contained.  I believe our campus is safe and we will continue to work hard to keep it that way. Let’s make tomorrow a great day!" via Twitter.

Thursday afternoon, San Angelo police and Central High School Administrators conducted an investigation into a threat of violence towards the school. At the conclusion of the investigation, one student was arrested.

In addition to this investigation and arrest, San Angelo ISD Administrators became aware of another social media post indicating an alleged threat. Their staff investigated and made contact with those involved and they feel confident the situation has been addressed.

These incidents are not connected, they are two separate incidents revolving around social media posts. At this time, both incidents are contained.

SAISD Administrators have stated that any threat, including social media, will be investigated and disciplinary measures applied.

The San Angelo Police Department said they will release more information about today's arrest via a press release sometime tomorrow.

There were two veiled threats on social media against Central High School and both postings have been thoroughly investigated along with the subjects who made the posts. In an unprecedented course of events this afternoon, San Angelo ISD and San Angelo police were made aware of these two postings this afternoon and immediately closed in on who made them.

First, a vague threat about a pending "event" at Central High School was circulating around on social media to students there Thursday afternoon. 

Several screenshots of the veiled threat were sent to San Angelo LIVE! asking us to investigate. We sent our copies to the San Angelo police and the San Angelo ISD.

The school district followed set procedures and investigated, finding not much there. 

"During the school day, we received information that a Central High School student made a threat on social media involving other students.  San Angelo ISD safety procedures were followed and police were contacted immediately.  During the investigation, it was determined that no weapons were involved.  San Angelo Police Department and our administrative staff took immediate action and continue to work together to insure student safety," stated San Angelo ISD spokesman Derrick Jackson.

Then, rumors of a second veiled threat were circulated. Jackson was compelled to issue a second statement.

"We are aware of a current social media post indicating an alleged threat.  Central High Administration has quickly investigated and made contact with those involved.  Based on the investigation and contact with those involved, Central High Administration feels confident they have addressed the concern.
 
"This is not connected to an investigation SAPD and Central High administration conducted today.  These are two separate incidents revolving around social media posts.  At this time, both incidents are contained. 
 
"Any threats, including social media, will be investigated and disciplinary measures applied," he stated.

These social media postings have a heightened importance because of the mass shooting at the school in South Florida on Feb. 14. 

 

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It's time we wake up to the new reality of the world we live in. The time I was in Central, it was not uncommon for a student to have a rifle in his back window gun rack of his truck parked in the school parking lot. Now we have "evolved" into a world where the value of life has been diminished, and society is self consumed. It is the only explanation of why Nicolas Cruz committed the atrocities he did, it was all about him. The world is full of those kind of people from Islamic Terrorist, Narco Terrorist, and demented individuals who seek grandeur through demented sick acts. We need to take a hard look at our society and see where we came off the tracks, and have a public discussion on why we are growing such monsters.
Societies problems aside. We have to assess the RISK's as they are right now, . Nothing that the political talking heads and federal politicians are discussing today will protect our children today, or tomorrow. Immediate response is necessary at the local level. We can not prevent or protect against all threats, the cost would be astronomical. But we can look at how our school campuses accessed , how can we restrict the number of access points, it may be that its time for close campuses. How long a school could fend off a live shooter or threat until law enforcement can respond. How can we reduce the response time of Law Enforcement? Are there electronic sensors that could detect gunfire inside a school which could trigger an immediate response? What kind of response could we place inside our schools to engage an immediate threat? Most often in active shooting events, if a threat is engaged with deadly force, the shooter will disengage, or take their own life. The reason they attack schools, is because in their minds, they can do it with out threat against them.
The reality of the world today is that anywhere people gather in large numbers the potential acts of violence against them increases. Where they gather on a regular basis and schedule, the threat increases, and planning such terrorist acts is easier.

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