ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Another school district announces they have made an arrest in connection to threatening social media posts.
The East St. Louis School District provided an update to families Wednesday evening:
“A suspect believed to be responsible for the online social media threats has been apprehended and is currently in custody,” the district said in a note to parents.
This is the third person in the St. Louis area charged and accused of posting violent threats online in the past week.
Police arrested two teens in one week after a series of shooting threats against the Ritenour School District.
On Tuesday, a former student was captured by police armed at Husky Academy.
A loaded Glock handgun was recovered.
“That kid’s picture should be on the news,” says parent Jim Key. “I think parents need to get more involved and see what they are doing with their social media accounts.”
St. Ann police provided First Alert 4 with an Instagram video of the suspect showing a firearm in addition to photos of him with weapons.
“Show these other kids who are thinking about making a threat to think twice before they do that,” says Captain Blake Carrigan with St. Ann police.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police also investigating an online threat made Tuesday listing city schools and a picture of a gun.
“We had detectives up at 9:00 last night, at midnight at 1:00. 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 a.m.,” says Mitch McCoy with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. “We’re going to find the person who posted it and we’re going to hold them accountable.”
Lift for Life Academy was forced to switch to virtual learning Wednesday as a result.
Police are urging parents to avoid interfering with the investigations.
“Parents are screenshotting and posting the messages online but they’re not calling the police. That is such a hinderance,” McCoy says. “Posting and resharing does cause a delay of finding who actually posted it.”
St. Ann police are working to charge the two Ritenour teens as adults as their cases are currently in juvenile court.
The FBI has been brought in to assist St. Louis-area police agencies and school districts.
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