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Norwood middle schooler arrested after mass shooting threat, police say
A 12-year-old who attends Coakley Middle School was taken into custody on Friday after the student allegedly sent a group text warning of the shooting, police said.
A Norwood middle schooler was arrested in connection with a mass shooting threat, Norwood police announced Sunday.
A 12-year-old who attends Coakley Middle School was taken into custody on Friday after the student allegedly sent a group text warning of the shooting, police said. The text allegedly warned of a shooting on Monday.
Investigation began Friday morning
Norwood police began investigating the origin of the text on Friday, which they only had as a screenshot. The message was sent from “unknown origin” to other students, the department said.
Norwood police said the message sender appeared to have knowledge of the middle school, but officers were sent to both Coakley Middle School and Norwood High School on Friday.
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In the group text, the student allegedly mentioned an “army,” police said, and “alluded to the motive having to do with an event 17 years ago, that was not otherwise explained. The message also warned that the phone number being used could not be traced.”
Police then traced the number and “were certain” they identified the student by 10:30 a.m. on Friday. They spoke to the student over the phone, who was traveling with family out-of-state. By that afternoon, the police deemed the threat not credible and notified families.
Student was arrested on Sunday
When the 12-year-old returned home, police searched their phone and home before arresting them on Sunday. The student, who will be absent at school Monday, confessed in the presence of their family, and the police found no weapons in their home.
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Norwood police also noted that an additional threat against the high school was circulating on Friday but found that it did not come from the 12-year-old student.
“It was spoofed to appear that it came from the original number but we have verified through the provider that it did not,” Norwood police said. “We give no credence to that remark.”
Norwood Public Schools Superintendent David Thomson said there will be an increased police presence on campus on Monday.
“The Norwood Public School community is thankful for the incredible work and support provided by the Norwood Police Department,” Thomson said in a statement. “We have a strong working relationship, and through this partnership, we gained the result of an arrest.”
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