FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Fresno Unified and Fresno Police are sending a strong message — they will not tolerate copycat school threats.
There have been 12 threats investigated by Fresno Police after the Florida school shooting.
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said it’s costing them time, money, resources and inciting fear.
“Parents are having to make a gut wrenching decision all the time about whether they’re going to send their kids to school on any given day,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson during a press conference held on Tuesday at Kings Canyon Middle School with Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.
Students will be suspended or expelled from school for these criminal offenses.
“It’s not a joke we don’t treat it as a joke and you can expect that you will be held to the fullest extent allowable,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said on Tuesday a middle school student was learning that lesson.
“Our last arrest was right here at Kings Canyon Middle School of a 13 year-old female who had posted a social post regarding a threat at Kings Canyon Middle School, Tioga and Fort Miller,” said Chief Dyer.
Chief Dyer said any student making a threat will be fully prosecuted.
Fresno Unified is planning assemblies to talk to students about the copycat threats, they will being sending messages to parents when they learn of any threat “even at 10:30 at night” and they’re urging parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts.
“If you don’t know who your kid is snap chatting with – that’s a problem,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson.
Click below to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
