Student arrested after portraying active shooter drill 'as an actual event' on social media
Authorities are considering charges against a Minnesota student following a false alarm about an active school shooter.
Early Friday afternoon, the Pine County Sheriff's Office received a report from staff at Barnum High School — located in neighboring Carlton County — that "a male known to students had broadcast an active shooter incident on social media from another school," a news release.
That other school turned out to be in Pine County. It was initially believed that the Willow River School District was involved, but authorities ultimately determined that the "broadcast" had come from the East Central School District in Finlayson.
Authorities ultimately determined that a school there "was doing a lockdown drill and the student broadcast the drill and sent it to others (on social media), portraying it as an actual event."
"Both schools were searched and cleared and there was no threat to either campus," the sheriff's office added.
The unidentified student accused of putting the drill on social media has been taken into custody. "Charges will be reviewed" by the Pine County Attorney's Office.
Authorities did not make clear what grade the student is in.
"The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank the reporting parties and the school staff from both districts for their quick response to the incident," the release says.
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