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4 Lockhart High School students arrested for threatening a school shooting
The four teens are not being identified because of their age, but they are looking at felony criminal charges and expulsion.
LOCKHART, Texas - Four teenage students, a boy and three girls, have been arrested and are facing felony charges of making terroristic threats. This comes after a threat was written on the wall of a girls’ bathroom at Lockhart High School.
The threat, which reads: "I’m going to shoot up the school in the morning on Monday," was discovered by other students late last week, before spreading the message on social media over the weekend.
"My daughter told me about it first and it was like ‘oh man,’ and I almost didn’t let them go to school Monday," said Stacee Gladstone, a Lockhart ISD parent.
What did happen Monday, was the arrest of a 16-year-old student believed to be behind the threat, along with a beefed-up police presence at the high school. Classes still went on as scheduled.
RELATED: 1 boy, 3 girls arrested in connection to threats made at Lockhart High School
"I’m really glad they took care of it as much as they did, and they had more officers on campus and everything because that’s the way it should be. We need to worry about our children, take care of our children," said Gladstone.
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Teen arrested in connection to threats made at Lockhart High School
City of Lockhart said a teen was arrested for threats made at Lockhart High School.
On Tuesday, administrators at Lockhart High School identified three girls who they say were also involved with the threat. Officials immediately turned those students over to Lockhart police. The three girls, a 16-year-old and two 15-year-olds, were all arrested, as well.
"[The threat] caused significant community distress and is not a matter to be taken lightly," Lockhart Police Chief Ernest Pedraza said in a statement. "If you are looking to threaten any of our schools, be prepared to face the consequences."
Gladstone, who has two kids who will soon be attending Lockhart High School, is glad to see this being treated as a crime.
"They don’t need to play around. They need to know that little kids can’t play around like that. Because it is serious," said Gladstone.
In a letter to parents, Lockhart ISD Superintendent Mark Estrada said the students "will face the maximum consequences within the school district’s authority," adding, "We continue to remain vigilant in safeguarding our schools.
"When I was going to school we didn’t have to worry about that. And it’s so sad that parents have to worry about it and kids have to worry about it," said Gladstone.