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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Teenager arrested after making social media threats tied to Central Valley High School

A 15-year-old has been arrested by Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies after they said he made a social media threat referencing Central Valley High School.

The incident, reported to law enforcement Saturday afternoon, does not appear “directly connected” to a threat written on a bathroom wall in the school that canceled classes Friday, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The alleged threat was posted to Snapchat, where the teenager posted a video of himself holding a bullet to his head. The teenager was not named in the news release and is also not a student at Central Valley, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He reportedly told deputies the threat was intended as a joke.

The video was reported to law enforcement by a student.

“The student who immediately reported this Snapchat threat did precisely the right thing,” Spokane County Sheriff’s Cpl. Mark Gregory said in the statement. “Instead of spreading the post or information to friends or others, spreading fear as well, the student reported the threat.”

The 15-year-old was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center, and faces one felony count of threats to bomb or injure property. If found guilty, the crime carries the possibility of imprisonment for up to 30 days, community supervision for up to a year, community service and a fine up to $500.