Making threats on social media against San Benito High School has led to the arrest of a 17-year-old man, San Benito police said.
The 17-year-old insinuated weapons were going to be used at the school during lunchtime, authorities said on social media.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, is not a student at the school, the San Benito Police Department said in a news release.
The man was taken into custody Tuesday night and is charged with one count of false alarm or report, which is a state jail felony, the news release stated. It is unknown if he remains in custody or is out on bond. The Valley Morning Star has reached out to San Benito police for additional information.
According to a Facebook posting on the San Benito Police Department’s page, the department received information around 5 p.m. Tuesday about a possible shooting threat to the high school.
“The post pictured a semi-automatic pistol and a knife and boasted about someone being ready to go back to school. The suspect re-posted the images and added a caption that insinuated the weapons were going to be used at the San Benito High School tomorrow during lunchtime,” authorities said.
San Benito police were able to track down the man and arrested him about four hours later.
“The San Benito Police Department has indicated that there is no indication or information that would support the idea that a credible threat exists to any SBCISD campus,” according to the news release.
The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Police Department was notified and continues all safety protocols that include added security measure. City and Cameron County law enforcement agencies will help with increased patrols of San Benito High School, both on and off campus, the news release stated.
“The safety and security of our students and staff will always be a top priority for San Benito CISD. We will continue taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community,” San Benito CISD said on its Facebook page.
