SAN DIEGO (KGTV/CNS) - The San Diego Unified School District and city authorities are taking action in the midst of recent threats against area schools.
San Diego law enforcement officials and school district leaders Friday addressed their plans to keep students safe and discussed the consequences of threats -- credible or otherwise -- that are made against schools.
At a Friday morning news conference, SD Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten, SD Unified Police Chief Mike Marquez, SDPD Chief David Nisleit and San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan talked about the district’s collaboration with law enforcement to keep students safe. The officials spoke about “the increased number of school threats since February 14, the consequences of false threats, and the importance of communication among law enforcement agencies, schools, students, parents and the community.”
TIMELINE: Threats against San Diego County schools
At least 20 threats have been made against San Diego schools since the Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Though none of the juvenile tied to the threats are believed to have intended to actually carry out school shootings or other types of attacks, the rash of malicious rumor-mongering has left at least nine local youths facing criminal prosecution.
The most recent arrest took place Wednesday and stemmed from a message that a Serra High School freshman allegedly scrawled on a restroom wall at the Tierrasanta campus. The malicious graffiti alluded to a school shooting supposedly planned for next month.
Police said the threat -- like the others in the series -- appeared to be empty fear-mongering but nonetheless qualified as a criminal threat.
