Authorities said that a California teenager was found with a homemade gun and brass knuckles after he sent out social media messages about shooting at “up a school” or “kids.”
According to a statement from the Menifee Police Department on Saturday, the 17-year-old high-school senior was charged with criminal threats, possession brass knuckles, and possession of an unregistered firearm commonly known as a ghost gun.
Police said that although the social media messages didn’t mention any specific school, they did mention that the student attended Heritage High School, Menifee, which is about 30 miles south from San Bernardino.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspect was not only threatening violence but also harassing students. He also had a gun in his possession. Police said that detectives had created search warrants for the suspect’s residence and home.
According to police, the boy was booked at Riverside County Juvenile Court.
Police stated that the public should be aware of “all threats, regardless of their specificity, implied, or other, that cause fear within our community will not tolerated.”
According to police, ghost guns can be made by assembling parts and selling them separately or in a set to make a fully functional gun. Authorities stated that the kits are available for purchase without a background check. They also don’t have serial numbers. This makes them accessible to minors and people who are prohibited from buying guns.
In April, President Joe Biden announced new restrictions regarding ghost guns. Gun makers must include a serial number and sellers must follow the same standards as other guns. This includes a background check before purchasing.
Biden stated that these guns were the weapon of choice for many criminals. “We will do everything possible to deny them that option.”
Perris Union High School District released a statement Monday saying: “While there wasn’t a threat to Heritage High School, however, we wanted to make sure that our families were aware about this Incident. Parents and guardians: Please talk to your children about social media use. We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue anyone of interest.
California’s incident comes just days after a Florida fifth grade student was charged with sending a threat text message to threaten to commit a mass shooting.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office stated that it received a “threatening text message” from a student at an elementary school earlier in the day.
It stated that the local school threat enforcement unit was immediately notified by it and began investigating. According to the sheriff’s office, the boy aged 10 was interviewed and later charged with “making a threat to carry out a mass shooting.”
