UPDATE: Juvenile in custody after social media threat at Highland High School
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POCATELLO — A juvenile suspect was taken into custody late on Wednesday, Oct. 7, after messaging threats through social media to students at Highland High School.
The juvenile, who has not been identified, was taken into custody and is being taken in the District VI Juvenile Detention Center in Pocatello.
The threats prompted a restricted access protocol at the high school, with school officials and resources officers restricting and closely monitoring who could enter and leave the building.
For the safety of students, the school initiated a code blue restricted access to do interviews and conduct an investigation,” Police spokeswoman Dianne Brush said. “It took a forensic investigation to determine who was actually sending the messages.”
Authorities have not released details of the threat or which social media the threats were made on.
Police and school district officials say parents reported the social media posts to the school this morning. School officials notified the School Resource Officer, an officer with the Pocatello Police Department, and they immediately began investigating the threat, according to a district news release.
“Every threat is taken very seriously and measures such as controlled access are implemented to keep students safe,” district spokeswoman Shelley Allen wrote in the news release.
Officials report the controlled access has now been cleared and Highland will have a normal school day tomorrow.
Counselors are available at the school for students who may need additional emotional support.
More information will be released Thursday. EastIdahoNews.com will post more information as it becomes available.
Photo courtesy Teresa Maher
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Juvenile in custody after social media threat at Highland High School