This article has been updated.
Two high school students were arrested Thursday after reports that the students had allegedly communicated a plan to commit acts of violence toward a group of students from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, according to Juneau Police Department.
The two students were identified as a 16-year-old boy from JDHS and a 17-year-old boy from Thunder Mountain High School. They were arrested on charges of second-degree terroristic threatening, which is a class C felony offense, according to JPD. The 16-year-old student from JDHS was also recently involved in a physical altercation at the school and was suspended earlier this week.
The charges are due to making a threat that could be dangerous to human life or property or that could put a person in reasonable fear of serious physical injury, according to JPD.
Police did not identify the students arrested.
According to police, JPD’s threat assessment team began investigating Wednesday evening as a precaution after being notified by the school district about reports made by students from both high schools about social media threats circulating online.
Principals from both high schools sent an email Thursday morning to parents and staff stating the schools were working with JPD to address and investigate the statements made on social media and that JPD would be more visible at the schools during the investigation. The email stated no emergency action steps were being taken at the time and there was no indication of weapons on campus at the time.
The email also stated there would be an increase in law enforcement presence on both high school campuses to provide a sense of security to students in response to the threats, and the students of concern were not on campus and have been contacted by police.
”JPD and the school district take these reports very seriously and are working together to ensure everyone’s safety,” Campbell said in an email to the Empire Thursday afternoon. “JPD would also like to encourage parents to speak with their children about the importance of reporting any possible safety concerns or threats, whether made in person or online, immediately.”
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
