METHUEN, MASS. (WHDH) - Officers arrested one teen Sunday and summoned another teen to appear in court after series of threats against Methuen schools, police announced.
Methuen police in a statement said both teenagers are expected to be arraigned in juvenile court at a later date. Police said their investigation was ongoing as of Monday afternoon and said extra patrols would remain in place around local schools for the remainder of the day as a precaution.
“Our department is committed to the safety and well-being of all students and community members and we are working diligently to thoroughly investigate the threats made over the weekend at the highest level,” said Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara. “Those found responsible will face significant legal consequences.”
“While these threats were not deemed credible, it does not lessen the serious impact they have had across our community,” McNamara continued. “Our priority is and will remain, the safety of our community.”
Police started investigating on Saturday after they learned of a bomb threat on social media against the Timony Grammar School.
Officers examined the social media account used in the threat and traced it back to a juvenile Timony School student, according to police.
Police said the threat was not specific and said the child “had neither the means nor opportunity” to carry it out. Police said they referred the Timony School threat to the Methuen Public Schools “for appropriate disciplinary action.”
One day after the Timony School threat, police said they learned of a second, more specific bomb threat against Methuen High School.
Police said the high school threat surfaced on social media, prompting students and parents to report it to authorities.
Methuen police said investigators identified two 14-year-old suspects and arrested one of them at their home on Sunday on charges including threatened use of explosives and causing disruption of a school.
Police said the teen was being held on $10,000 cash bail as of Monday afternoon.
Police summoned the second teen to court on identical charges of threatened use of explosives and causing disruption of a school.
Police said both suspects in the Methuen High School threat were students at the school. Though police did not consider the threats credible, officers worked with local firefighters and regional K9 teams to conduct a sweep of Methuen High School.
In addition to current charges, police said the 14-year-old suspects may face additional charges as investigators gather additional information.
Police thanked community members who reported the school threats and acknowledged the shooting at a high school in Georgia that left four people dead and injured nine others last week.
“Threats of violence will not be tolerated in Methuen,” police said.
While those impacted by the Georgia shooting grieve, local school districts have grappled with a spate of threats in recent days.
Officials in Dedham canceled a high school football game on Friday after an anonymous caller told officials about a rumor that a student was going to “shoot up the game.”
Supteindenrent Nan Murphy and Dedham Police Chief Mike D’Entrement in a initial statement said officials had no reason to believe there was an immediate threat to the game and said they planned to proceed with a heightened police presence.
In an update roughly one hour after the initial statement, the Dedham Public Schools said the game had been canceled.
Elsewhere, officials in Raynham on Monday said they investigated a series of rumors about an alleged threat against Raynham Middle School over the weekend.
“The Raynham Police Department has determined that there is no credible threat to middle school and that the rumors were unsubstantiated,” police said.
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