13-year-old Marrero student arrested after Instagram shooting threat: JPSO

http://www.nola.com/ ^ | 2/23/18 | Michelle Hunter

[BBell]

A 13-year-old former Truman Middle School student was arrested and booked with terrorizing after authorities say he posted a photo with a caption threatening to shoot up the school on Friday (Feb. 23).

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office did not identify the student, the fifth arrested since Tuesday in connection with investigations into reported school shooting threats, said Lt. Jason Rivarde, spokesman for the department.The boy posted an unidentified image on his Instagram account Thursday night and wrote "ima (sic) shoot up truman tm at 12:00 be there," according to Rivarde.

-snip-

- A student at Helen Cox High School in Gretna was booked Tuesday as a child in need of supervision after authorities say he made a "threatening gesture" to another student and made comments suggesting there would be a shooting at the school. Word of the student's threat went viral, prompting about 100 parents to check out their children Thursday morning, exacerbated by incorrect media reports that the school was on lockdown.

-Two students at Grace King High School in Metairie Thursday were booked with terrorizing after they shared a photo of a portrait of one of the boys drawn on a classroom white board that had been captioned "future school shooter," JPSO said. The image was shared on social media, causing a panic among students and parents, according to officials.

-A 16-year-old student at John H. Martyn Community School in Old Jefferson was booked as a child in need of supervision after he told a bus driver that he wanted to be a school shooter when he grows up. The bus driver immediately reported the boy to school officials and authorities.

In each instance, the students involved told authorities their comments or actions were only a joke, according to the Sheriff's Office.

[BBell]

It won't be long before the kids who are the real threat just clam up, there by rendering it difficult to distinguish the real threatening students from the attention seekers. It could overwhelm an already weak system.

[pepsionice]

I noticed this morning around five different Alabama teens arrested on similar type social media comments or threats, over the past week. I think if we compared across the US...in the past week, there’s probably well over two-hundred kids arrested so far.

My humble belief is that August, and a new school year....most parents are to shut down their kid’s social media accounts in fear of some stupid comment being conveyed and the kid ending up being charged with a felony that would follow them for the rest of their lives.

I just shake my head over how this mess has dissolved the whole social media gimmick.

[Redleg Duke]

If it does, maybe this isn’t really a bad thing.

How about the minimum age to own or possess a smart phone to be 21. Restrict underage phone users to simple flip telephone with no texting or internet capabilities.

[BBell]

I like your idea but the internet gods that reside in silicon valley would never allow it.

[pepsionice]

Raising the age on social media to 21 probably will never happen.

But if you start to see two kids a week at your school being detained or arrested for some critical comment or cynical comeback...then you’d start to worry about your kid being next, and felony charges are rough on the pocket-book.

This is all stuff that was commonly accepted a year ago. Now? People will report just about any two-liner potential threat and the local prosecutors will have to carry it to some judge to issue a court appearance. I could even see judges ordering some kids to give up their social media account for three years as part of some plea deal.

[Tax-chick]

I think last week’s events proved the “system” was already overwhelmed. It’s time for the mass warehousing of defenseless children to end.

[Gen.Blather]

“in the past week, there’s probably well over two-hundred kids arrested so far.”

There was one in my local area. Kids are idiot. They just want somebody to react to them, thus proving they are alive and important.

If you tried to take your kid of social media, for the kid it would be tantamount to murder. A friend in his fifties wanted to have a Facebook discussion about guns, (I think he’s pro, but am not sure) I cautioned him that it could hurt his business. He’s a recruiter and he deals with HR departments. (HR’s are the lynch pin of liberal efforts to institute the thought police.)

[silverleaf]

Until then - the ones who do reveal their sociopathy need to be removed from the population and examples need to be made to inhibit the copycats

[silverleaf]

Never EVER discuss politics or social issues on Facebook! Its a left wing spy operation collecting individual data!

[Ciexyz]

I have a theory that kids’ involvement with social media is one reason that the U.S. did so poorly in the Olympics medal count. They would rather seek fame on Facebook than devote their energies into making themselves the top of their sport.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I have a theory that kids’ involvement with social media is one reason that the U.S. did so poorly in the Olympics medal count."

I would certainly agree there's something to that, but I think the low medal count also speaks to our self-esteem movement and fostering of a sense of entitlement. Say what you will about the Olympics, thus far they have not descended to handing out participation trophies.

[sportutegrl]

The boy posted an unidentified image on his Instagram account Thursday night and wrote "ima (sic) shoot up truman tm at 12:00 be there," according to Rivarde.

Since it is Louisiana, the image was probably a square root sign.