A De Soto High School student was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of threatening another student in a social media post with a photo of a gun, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The student was arrested at his home on suspicion of making a criminal threat. He was sent to Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center, according to McKenzi Davis, a spokesperson for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The student had allegedly been battered Tuesday by a classmate, Davis said. The student responded by allegedly making the social media post. The threat did not indicate that the student was planning to bring the firearm to the school and was limited to targeting the one classmate, she said.
The classmate was issued a juvenile notice to appear for misdemeanor battery, Davis said. Parents for both students are cooperating with investigators.
De Soto High School spokesperson Alvie Cater said there was no threat made toward De Soto High School or any other school in the district, and the district is trying to clear up rumors spreading on social media.
An email to families from school administrators Wednesday afternoon said rumors spread to school districts across the metro and referenced incidents in other states like De Soto, Texas.
“Social media users added speculation and rumors to the point that it morphed into perceived threats to other schools in our district, and other school districts in the metro. Unfortunately, others are continuing to post inaccurate images and perceived threats to social media,” the statement said.
In a message sent Tuesday night to families, Principal Sam Ruff said the district was planning increased law enforcement presence at the school Wednesday morning. Wednesday’s email said the school will continue to work with law enforcement to maintain a safe school environment.
“Information about the social media post first came to our attention after the school day had ended on Tuesday and quickly expanded online,” Ruff said in the Tuesday message. “It is important to acknowledge the number of students and other community members for reporting the social media posts to school administration and law enforcement. This is a strong example of why ‘see or hear something, say something’ is an important part of keeping everyone safe.”
On Wednesday, the district also encouraged discussions about social media.
“Another conversation to have is about not reposting questionable content on social media, as they could inadvertently end up part of an ongoing investigation. Instead it is best to report information to appropriate authorities,” the statement said.
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
