Teen boy arrested for alleged online threats to 12 Valley schools

A teenage boy has been arrested for allegedly making threats to a dozen Valley schools.

Phoenix police officials say they were made aware of the threat of a mass shooting through social media which involved 12 Valley schools on September 12.

On that day, police responded to the involved schools and reported all students and staff were safe.

Detectives began investigating the incidents and were able to identify a teen boy who initiated the threat.

On Thursday, the boy was arrested and questioned.

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The teen reportedly admitted to being involved and said the threat was "made after a dare by a peer group."

Due to him being a minor, he has not been named. He was booked into the Juvenile Community Corrections on multiple felonies, including terrorist threats and computer tampering.

Due to the threat, the schools involved had approximately 6,000 student absences in the days following the threat, according to Phoenix PD.

Several other school districts across Arizona have experienced online school threats recently.

On Friday, the Prescott Valley Police Department arrested a juvenile for making threats toward Liberty Traditional School. Police say an investigation determined there was no actual danger to students or staff.

On Thursday, Mesa police announced six incidents at East Valley schools over the past seven days.

Phoenix PD officials provided the following message regarding online threats:

As a reminder to all involved in these types of scenarios, if you encounter a threat of any kind please report it to the police and in these cases school staff. Do not repost the threat to any social media platform. Reposting these threats complicates the totality of a criminal investigation and can cause misinformation to be spread throughout social media. When authorities are contacted, school administration and law enforcement work hand in hand to ensure the safety of those involved and to begin the investigation into the threats. School staff will contact parents with information related to the threat and what parents and students need to know. These are the times when parents and their students should communicate about the importance of reporting these circumstances and not to spread the threat.

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