San Luis student arrested on charges of disruption of an educational institution

On Monday, Yuma Police Department received a tip of a Snapchat video and photo of young individuals heard making threats towards an unspecified school.

Later that day, YPD sent out a tweet stating that the subjects in the photo and video were identified.

According to Lori Franklin with YPD, there were three students identified: one student from Yuma who was not charged and two others from San Luis.

According to Marco Santana with the San Luis Police Department in the threat video and photo, the photo and video included a gun and a caption with the words “school” and “shooting”.

We do not know the student that is in this certain video and photo.

According to SLPD, a male student of San Luis High School in the video was arrested and is being processed on a felony charge of interference with or disruption with an educational institution.

The student from Yuma was interviewed and was released because they made no actual threat.

Because they are students and considered minors, SLPD has not released any of their identity information.

With threats made on social media targeting four local schools so far in the month of October, it is important to remember that each case is taken very seriously.

“The big thing we want to try to get across to everybody is, no matter how subtle or small the threat is in today’s days and times we are going to take every threat seriously,” Franklin said.

According to Franklin, when a video or photo is received by YPD that mentions going into a school and shooting no matter if, from an adult or child, it is treated seriously.

Eric Patten with Yuma Union High School District, says the school district does not have the time to determine whether threats made are a joke.

“We don’t have an opportunity to decipher what isn’t real, take what your posting on social media seriously, Patten said.

YPD does not have a way to know what that person is thinking until they have the opportunity to talk with them.

“99.9% of the time all these are jokes, but it’s that one percent and if we let it go and if that one percent gets by and something tragic happens, then that’s huge and we don’t want to take that chance,” Franklin said.

Social media has played a large part in today’s generation in regards to communication and expression.

For San Luis High School, a similar type of threat has been made earlier this year in August, by a former student who made a threat against SLHS on Facebook.

“Today with the history of what’s going on over the last couple years we need to not take the chance of saying ‘we just don’t believe that that sounds real ‘ and let it go,” Franklin said.

Patten says now more than ever, everybody needs to make sure they are aware of how they are using social media.

“Unfortunately a bad choice can result in someone’s life been changed,” Patten said.

The world has come to rely on social media to reach out to each other on various platforms.

YPD wants to be able to someday create a class in order to create a learning experience out of the severity of the damage these threats can have on others.

Patten believes that there is sometimes a challenge to incorporate social media into core learning classes but hopes to include teaching students these effects soon.

In regards to how these threats affect students on campus, Patten says often times students are not even aware of certain alleged threats made.

This is accredited to the administration as well as the police department, according to Patten.

“The police department has been a wonderful partner and that has really allowed for us to swiftly take action,” Patten said.

In the case of an urgent threat, the school says lockdowns and announcements are always made.

“Safety is first and foremost in mind,” Patten said.

However, Patten says that the school’s intention is to keep kids in school, it is just a matter of resources and time given to these situations.

This time is not always available which is why they err on the side of caution.

Patten suggests that parents are more aware of the effects of social media and to remind your kids that it is a powerful tool.

When speaking to a local resident who is also a mother, she said that these threats have made her fearful for her daughter.

“Kids are mean these days, social media fuels misbehavior,” she said.

Another resident said that she believes social media has made it easier to bully.

On October 30th at Kofa High School, the third annual Community Conversations event will take place.

This year, keynote speaker Dr. Joel Dvoskin will be talking about mental health and school safety.

Forty-five minutes will be a presentation and the last forty-five minutes will be open to questions from the community.

The event is open to everyone and will be a good opportunity to start a dialogue about school safety.