Two Pa. students arrested for separate social media threats

Staff report

new castle, PA.

Pennsylvania State Police investigated social media threats at two schools in the last few days.

State police reported Monday that its New Castle station received information about a social media threat involving a Mohawk Junior Senior High School student.

A 14-year-old faces criminal charges in that case, according to a PSP news release.

PSP said school staff received information about the post Monday morning.

“The investigation revealed that a social media post was made by a student and it depicted a juvenile holding what appeared to be a deer rifle,” PSP said. “The photo had a caption that said the actor and two other juveniles were gonna shoot up the school.”

PSP said the investigation revealed the person who took the picture was the only one involved with the post.

That individual will face charges of making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct, PSP said.

PSP said “there is no pending threat concerning this matter,” but the investigation continues.

In a separate incident, a juvenile was put in a detention facility near Youngstown after police received information about a “potential threat of an act of violence” at South Side School District in Greene Township, according to a news release from PSP.

State police said troopers with Troop D Beaver Station responded to the school campus Friday, and were investigating the incident “in conjunction with the school police and the FBI.”

State police said the threat was made using the chat function of an internet gaming platform. School officials became aware of the threat, then contacted police, a PSP spokesman said.

The suspect was identified by investigators Saturday and booked into a detention facility “on charges of menacing the public,” according to the news release.

“PSP is filing a written juvenile allegation, charging the juvenile with terroristic threats and other related criminal offenses,” PSP said.

Federal charges are possible as well, according to the news release.

The PSP spokesman said “until proven otherwise,” police were investigating the incident as a credible threat.