Sheriff’s deputies investigate possible threat made by LCHS student to another via Instagram
Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies are investigating a possible threat made by one La Cañada High School student against another, after school administrators became aware Monday of an image posted on Instagram containing a weapon and threatening message, officials reported.
Deputy Eric Matejka, who works closely with La Cañada Unified, confirmed Wednesday one juvenile was detained temporarily, and that a search of his residence did not turn up anything that would substantiate a viable threat to the other student’s safety.
The two male students are friends who hang out together regularly, the deputy said. The image posted to the suspect juvenile’s Instagram account appears to have been taken from the Internet, rather than an original photo taken by the student.
“We looked at the kid who made the threat, we looked at his house, and there were no weapons,” Matejka said.
In a district release issued Wednesday, Supt. Wendy Sinnette said the student was brought into the principal’s office Monday after administrators received a copy of the since-deleted posting. An “exhaustive investigation” determined the threat was not viable.
The student, whom Matejka said may not have been fully aware of the ramifications of his actions, was suspended for three days and will participate in two days of on-campus digital citizenship education.
“We are grateful to our administrative team for their diligence and quick action,” Sinnette said in the release. “Student and staff safety remains our greatest priority, and we will continue to take any threatening behavior with immediate action.”
Matejka said rumors online that the student may have been keeping a list of names, potential targets for other threats, are completely unsubstantiated.
“There was no hit list,” he said.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
