BILLERICA, MASS. (WHDH) - Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office says a 15-year-old student is facing charges after his mother alerted authorities about a threat he allegedly made to shoot up a school in Billerica.
The Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School student posted a Snapchat video that depicted him holding a weapon that looked like an assault rifle and threatening to commit a school shooting, according to Ryan’s office.
Officers responded around 10:30 p.m. to the student’s Tewksbury home after his mother discovered the video and called police.
Officers determined that the weapon shown in the video was a BB gun. No real firearms were found in the home, but the student was arrested.
It’s believed that the video was sent out to four students at the school, according to investigators.
“He took like a Snapchat video with an assault rifle and said he was going to shoot up the school,” said student Cameron Hamel. “We just didn’t believe it at first. Then we saw it on Twitter.”
The student is charged with threatening use of a dangerous weapon and threatening to commit a crime. He had an arraignment scheduled for Tuesday in Lowell Juvenile Court.
Investigators said they are not aware of any existing threat to the school. An increased police presence was at the school Tuesday, and the superintendent said a letter went home to parents explaining to them what happened.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
The incident is under investigation.
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