Utah mom checks son's Facebook, prevents potential shooting

SALT LAKE CITY - Salt Lake City police said that a mother may have prevented a shooting on Friday and saved her son's life by checking his Facebook page, reports CBS affiliate KUTV.

The unidentified woman reportedly called a school resource officer at West High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, after reading frightening comments from two teenagers on her son's Facebook page. The suspects allegedly threatened to shoot her son, according to KUTV.

Salt Lake City police arrested the suspects - two teenagers and non-West High students whose names are being withheld - shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday. The station reports that they were located by authorities in a car parked down the street from the high school. Police said they found a handgun, a loaded magazine, marijuana and a large bong in the vehicle.

"[The suspects] were threatening [the boy's] life on Facebook. Pretty credible threats. And there were also pictures on Instagram involving a weapon," Det. Greg Wilking told KUTV. "When they're posting it on social media and then they're actually where they said they were going to be and they have a weapon, I would say that's a pretty credible threat."

The suspects have been booked into juvenile detention, police told the station, where they face multiple charges. The incident may be gang-related, according to detectives.

"Anything you do online these days can be traced to you, and you might want to think about that before you put something out on the web," Wilking said. "[This is] what parents need to be doing, is paying attention to the social media that their children are involved with."