A 12-year-old who attends Bonita Vista Middle School was arrested Tuesday in connection with sending threatening messages, Chula Vista police said.
The threat quickly spread on social media and caused fear and concern on several campuses in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Classrooms in the school district were almost empty as some parents decided to keep their children home.
Many parents and students are still asking questions about why they weren't given more information quickly.
"My son was telling us about the day, that a lot of parents came and picked up their kids," parent Alex Diaz said. "If there's more information being put out, maybe the parents won't be as worried and see the need to do that."
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Chula Vista police say this situation started on Saturday. Initially, the investigation followed a student who told police another student messaged them saying they would shoot up Bonita Vista Middle School on Tuesday.
The news spread to other campuses like Rancho del Rey Middle School. In a message sent to parents, staff and students at around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, Ulisses Hernandez, the principal of Rancho del Rey Middle, debriefed the school threat, saying, in part:
"This morning, at about 6 am, community members notified the administration of a concern spreading on social media regarding a school threat to Rancho del Rey. The administration reported to the school ASAP and notified CVPD and SUHSD. At exactly 7:38 am, I sent out a Jupiter Message informing the Rancho community that the threats were not credible. Eventually, as the news spread, concerned parents requested their students check out of school for safety. We understand and respect the decisions made by parents who picked up their children. The staff worked collaboratively to support the parents with their requests. CVPD is investigating the source of the original threat made to multiple schools since yesterday. The threats do not pose an imminent danger to our students, and it is safe to continue with the regular school schedule."
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School resource officers say, based on the circumstances and additional context in the message threat that they didn't specify, they didn't think the threat was credible. Officers worked with school staff to take security precautions and investigate.
More investigating found the same student who made the police report is the student who made the threat. That student was arrested Tuesday and later released to their parents and charged with criminal threats and filing a false police report.
The school also sent out a notice to parents, but parents say that didn't come soon enough. They also say they wish there was more security on a regular basis just in case.
"On the far side, there's an opening. And on the other far side, there's an opening," grandparent Harold Watson said. "But there's nobody there checking people. There's nobody there with a wand, checking anybody for anything. You just walk right in."
NBC 7 reached out to the district to hear more about student attendance over the past two days and to also learn more about its protocol when notifying parents. The station has not heard back.
