Sheriff: St. Martin High student arrested after threatening to ‘shoot up the school’

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department arrested a 14-year-old male student from St. Martin High School Saturday morning.

Sheriff Mike Ezell said the student is in custody after he made threats on social media against the school. Sheriff Ezell says the boy allegedly posted he was going to “shoot up the school Monday”.

Investigators were able to identify and locate the boy. He is charged with making terrorist threats on social media and is being held at the Jackson County Youth Detention Center.

Because the student is a minor, officials are not releasing his identity.

The school sent the following message to parents:

Last night I was alerted of a threat made against SMHS via social media. As always, the threat was taken very seriously and law enforcement became involved. The person making the threat is now in police custody being charged with a felony. As of July 1, the state of MS considers such threats against schools as a terroristic threat. Although it saddens us that a poor decision could have such a serious impact on a young person’s life, such statements written or uttered WILL NOT be tolerated. School safety above everything else is our NUMBER ONE priority.