A 13-year-old boy was arrested Friday and an assault-style rifle was seized from his home after he threatened to shoot people at a Los Angeles-area middle school, CNN reports.
Peers told teachers and administrators at Ánimo Mae Jemison Charter Middle School they heard the boy threaten to shoot fellow students and staff, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
After the concerns were raised, deputies interviewed students and identified the boy believed to have made the threat. Authorities then searched his home, seizing an AR-15-like rifle, 100 rounds of ammunition, a map of the school and a list of names of students and school employees.
“He did have a list of names and at this point we’re trying to determine what that list was for,” Sgt. Robert Dean told journalists at a news conference on Friday.
The gun was not registered but did have a serial number, Villanueva said.
The boy has been charged with making criminal threats, and other charges could be filed later.
The middle school is a “college preparatory charter school serving a diverse population in the Watts and Compton community in South Los Angeles,” according to its website.
The school issued a news release stating, in part, “Our students did everything right by raising concerns with adults. We are in close contact with law enforcement and have been informed that there is no longer a safety concern. We are deeply thankful for the partnership and quick response from law enforcement around this incident.”
The arrest comes after a series of school threats in Los Angeles County since the deadly attack at Saugus High School on November 14, when a student fatally gunned down two peers before killing himself.
At Pete Knight High School in Palmdale, one juvenile was arrested for making a threat. The student had posted threats on social media, including a photo of himself holding a gun.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Here is a related episode.
[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
