Missouri – Since the beginning of this school year, Missouri has seen a rise in school threats across the state. U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming stated that her office, along with the FBI St. Louis and ATF, is partnering to combat the increase in these reported threats.
Officials noted that, in many cases, the threats were allegedly intended as “a joke.”
“When an individual makes a school threat, they are taken into custody by law enforcement, and they will not be going home at the end of the day. Making a school threat is a very serious violation of the law, and there are consequences that result from that threat,” officials said.
The court system and school districts are treating these “jokes” as serious threats. Consequences can include being placed under court supervision, and children could be prosecuted as adults on state and federal charges. Special Agent Ashley Johnson, with the FBI field office in St. Louis, explained the severe consequences of making threats: “At the federal level, you can be sentenced to up to five years. Not a joke. If someone is injured, that sentence can increase to 20 years. It is not a joke. If death occurs, you could be facing a life sentence. Again, not a joke.”
Officials are warning parents and students not to share threats they see online, as doing so can slow down the law enforcement response.
