elementary school

11-Year-Olds Arrested For Making Fake School Shooting Reports in Ohio

Three campuses were reported to have active shooter threats, but police in Newark, Ohio said the calls were faked by two students.

A pair of 11-year-old students in Ohio were arrested last week for making threatening phone calls to 911 about three Ohio schools, according to police in Newark, Ohio.

The two students, who attend Newark City Schools, were arrested on Thursday afternoon for making three active shooter reports. All three campuses were checked by officers, who found no threats.

"We responded and determined them to be false," Newark Police Sgt. Doug Wells said, according to The Newark Advocate. "We've got a lot of parents calling ... all reports have been a hoax."

A spokesman for the school district, Seth Roy, told the Advocate that the first they had heard of the threats was when police showed up at the schools, which included a middle school and elementary school. One call alerted police to a threat in the morning, while another came in the early afternoon.

"Police checked out the building and determined the calls were false,” Roy said. “Someone later made a call, shortly after noon, to 911 alleging that an active incident was happening at Liberty. There was nothing happening, another false call."

The students’ previous criminal records and the seriousness of the offenses usually determine what penalties the youth will face, according to Wells. Police have not yet determined if the students will be placed in juvenile detention or house arrest.

"The Newark Division of Police will not tolerate these types of calls and will continue to investigate and prosecute all cases like this one," the department said in a press release.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now