Shooting threat at Jefferson County school
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Ridgewood Middle School in Arnold. Submitted photo
According to a press release issued on Oct. 11 from the office of Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak, Ridgewood Middle School had a recent threat of potential violence in the way of a school shooting.
The suspect, a juvenile who will not be named, has been detained by a Sheriff’s Office Detective, and the Jefferson County Division of Juvenile Justice filed a petition for the felony of “Making a Terroristic Threat – 2nd Degree.”
The press release said that on Sept. 17, an official at Ridgewood Middle School made the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office aware of a threat that was posted on social media and reported by a juvenile. The threat warned of a shooting that would happen that day at a specific time and school building. Deputies responded immediately to secure the building while Detectives began an investigation. With assistance from the FBI St. Louis Field Office, investigators traced the threat to a suspect account. It was later learned through interviews and digital forensics that the account and threat were created by the very juvenile who originally reported the threat. Ultimately, it was determined to be a hoax.
Not only did this hoax require more than 40 man-hours to investigate, which pulled Deputies and Detectives away from patrols and legitimate cases, but it also caused the school to go on lockdown, which disturbed the learning environment and caused fear and panic among students, parents, faculty, and staff.
“We take these incidents very seriously because our students deserve a safe school environment,” said Undersheriff Tim Whitney. “We will continue to investigate these cases to the fullest and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Make no mistake: school threats are not a joke. They carry serious consequences that can change the course of a young person’s life.”
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Fox School District, the FBI St. Louis Field Office, and the Jefferson County Division of Juvenile Justice for their assistance in this investigation.
