FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Tulare County Sheriff’s Deputies responded Thursday afternoon to a threat targeting students at a school in Ivanhoe.
Two boys were overheard talking about carrying out a “Columbine Style” attack at Elbow Community School on Road 160, in which they could “kill a lot of people.”
Investigators say the boys are 13 and 14 years of age.
School staff believed the threat could be credible and called law enforcement immediately.
The students have admitted to making the statements but claim they were joking.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office says they have been detained and will face charges of making terrorist or criminal threats.
Deputies have contacted the parents and their homes will be searched by law enforcement.
Tulare County Sheriff’s Office: “Sheriff Boudreaux and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office take ANY kind of criminal threats VERY seriously. They are NEVER a joke. Parents, please have this conversation with your children. We want EVERYONE to feel safe in our schools.”
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’S Liz Kern:
