6 children charged with making, distributing threats to school in Valparaiso, Indiana
VALPARAISO, Ind. (CBS) -- Six children have been criminally charged as juveniles with making and sharing threats to a school in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Valparaiso police said Tuesday that on Thursday of last week, they learned of a threat of possible violence at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, at 1600 Roosevelt Rd. in Valparaiso. The threat was alleged to have been made by one student and directed at the school in general, police said.
This threat was investigated and was found not to be credible, police said. But this was not the end of the ordeal.
Later during the school day last Thursday as students were being dismissed, a student relayed that earlier threat to a staff member—which led to a concern that the threat may be imminent, police said. The staff member secured a few sports teams in their locker rooms, which in turn led to rumors and false information being bandied about, police said.
Calls began flooding the Porter County 911 Center, and concerned parents started arriving amid the misinformation and subsequent partial lockdown of the school, police said.
On top of all this, police investigating the first incident found out about yet another threat on social media involving a list of students potentially to be harmed, police said. The list was publicly distributed by students on social media, with more names and phrases being added each time it was shared, police said.
Six juveniles have now been criminally charged for their role in creating or publicly sharing threats, and are being detained at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center, police said. Police did not specify their ages.
School threats have also led to arrests and disruptions elsewhere in the greater Chicago area in recent days. In Joliet on Monday, 21 school buildings were closed, and some students were placed on e-learning, due to a threat made on social media.
About 9,000 students were affected.
According to District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse, a social media threat was circulating involving "students bringing weapons" to several schools in Joliet. Officials said the threat was not credible.
Later on Monday, Joliet police announced the arrest of a 14-year-old girl who, they said, indicated her involvement in creating the bogus threat on social media. She was charged with felony disorderly conduct.
The Monday threat was the that Joliet Public School District 86 had dealt with in a span of a few days. On Friday, police investigated a social media rumor that there was a weapon at Joliet West High School.
Joliet police also said they arrested a 12-year-old girl in connection with that earlier incident, which was also deemed unfounded.
Also in Joliet, police on Tuesday said a 12-year-old boy was arrested and released to a family member in connection with yet another threat. This threat was posted to Instagram on Monday and referenced possible harm to students at local schools—and it was shared numerous times, police said.
The post was traced to the boy, who admitted he had done it as a prank, police said. He was charged as a juvenile with felony disorderly conduct.
Plainfield Central High School was also the subject of an online threat this week, which prompted an increased police presence at the school Tuesday.
Valparaiso police noted Tuesday that threats had also been issued to schools recently in several other communities in Northwest Indiana, and across the country.
