Poteau police arrest 13-year-old in connection with threat against school

POTEAU, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA) — Poteau police say they have arrested a 13-year-old after he was accused of making a threat against a school.

PPD said on Sunday night a girl came to the department to report a school shooting threat made on a messaging app.

Officers took the report and investigators started working on the case. The department said the threat did not mention a specific school, date or time.

“Throughout the evening and the next day, investigators developed leads, identified and
interviewed involved persons, and continued to track the threat back to its source,” the department said.

With the help of Homeland Security, investigators were able to determine the suspect was a 13-year-old from Poteau.

Authorities found the suspect at his home and took him to the Poteau Police Department to interview. After the interview and consulting the District 16 District Attorney’s Office, the teen was arrested on a terrorism hoax charge, a felony, and was taken to a juvenile detention facility.

Poteau police said there was an increased police presence at Poteau schools on Monday.

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