Second Clovis Unified student arrested this week for school shooting threat

A Clovis West High School student was arrested early this morning for making social media threats on Snapchat, showing an assault rifle with a caption that warned both Clovis West and Buchanan high schools. (Photo: AmeriStudent)

Clovis Police Department reported its second Clovis Unified student arrest for social media threats early Friday morning.

Earlier this week, Clovis Pollice arrested a 15-year-old Buchanan High student for making similar threats.

This time, a 15-year-old Clovis West freshman was arrested after concerned citizens informed local authorities of a picture posted to Snapchat showing an assault rifle with a caption that warned both Clovis West and Buchanan high schools.

The investigation on this threat began just before midnight on Thursday. At around 11 p.m., Kelly Avants, Chief Communications Officer of CUSD, disclosed that CPD, Fresno PD and Clovis Unified Police were working together “to ensure it is a hoax.”

By 2 a.m. Friday, authorities located the student and detained him.

Upon arrest, the department confirmed that the photo had come from an online website and no weapons were found in the student’s residence. CPD also stated that the family had been cooperative throughout its investigation.

“In another unfortunate example of the extremely serious consequences facing young people who irresponsibly use social media to spread rumors and false threats, the student who made this post was arrested early this morning for his dangerous actions,” Avants said. “Because no credible threat existed from this post, all campuses are open as regularly scheduled this morning.”

Local authorities are not taking any social media threats lightly. Threats like these have emerged in various communities since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 students.

Both teens were booked into Fresno County Juvenile Justice Corrections on one count of criminal threats of death or great bodily injury.

CUSD campuses will have an increased law enforcement presence “in a gesture of reassuring support to our students, staff and parents,” Avants said.