Santa Maria teen arrested Thursday after an alleged school shooting threat was posted online
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A 14-year-old Santa Maria boy was arrested after an alleged school threat was posted and circulated on TikTok and other social media Thursday.
On Sep. 5, around 8:25 a.m., officers received a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about a potential school threat where a user posted a threat to carry out a shooting at a school believed to be in Santa Maria shared the Santa Maria Police Department in a press release about the incident.
A joint investigation between the Santa Maria Police Department and the Santa Maria FBI office identified a 14-year-old boy in Santa Maria as the source of the social media threat detailed the Santa Maria Police Department.
According to Santa Maria Police, the teen was located and arrested at his home in northeast Santa Maria around 9 a.m. and he was found to have a replica firearm in his possession.
The 14-year-old is enrolled in a local charter/home school program and was released to his guardian after being processed "as he did not meet the criteria for booking at Santa Maria Juvenile Hall" stated the Santa Maria Police Department.
This case has been forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office for further action on charges related to criminal threats explained the Santa Maria Police Department.
