DEER PARK, Wash. — The Spokane County Sheriff found there was no direct or indirect threat to Deer Park High School after many parents reported hearing about a "potential violent threat" aimed at a small group of students.
After talking to the students involved, students from Deer Park High School and North Central High School admitted they were "merely talking trash."
The students were initially messaging each other in a group chat on Snapchat about which school was better in basketball, according to Spokane County Sheriff Corporal Mark Gregory. Several other students were brought into the chat when it escalated, with students talking about fighting and threatening to beat each other up.
As students spread the information, the threats became exaggerated, according to Gregory.
Extra law enforcement are at Deer Park High School and in Deer Park on Wednesday after a “potential violent threat” aimed at a small group of students was posted to social media.
Deputies interviewed several students over the course of the investigation. Students claimed they never felt threatened or believed anyone else was being threatening toward the school, said Gregory. From the interviews deputies concluded there was no actual threat against students or staff.
Because Snapchat deletes messages after they are received, deputies were unable to view the entire conversation, Gregory said.
School officials received information about the threat on Tuesday evening, and administrators worked with the district’s School Resource Deputy and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to gain as much credible information as possible about the threat, according to the school district’s website.
The information posted online originated outside of the Deer Park area, district leaders said. Sheriff’s deputies worked with the Spokane Police Department to identify one or more individuals responsible for posting the threats.
A student who posted about the threat on Reddit said it referenced shooting up the school. They added that it was posted to both Instagram and Snapchat.
Deer Park High School Principal Joe Feist gave families a brief update via phone to ensure that families knew the district was in close contact with law enforcement and would continue to gather information throughout the night.
Law enforcement did not believe there is a real or credible threat to students at DPHS and throughout the district, or any other buildings in Deer Park, district leaders said. Regardless, the district had an additional law enforcement presence at the high school and in Deer Park to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Second threat at Spokane County school this week
On Monday, there was an increased police presence at Ferris High School following a weekend threat made over social media.
Officers began investigating the threat early Sunday morning, and determined there was no probable cause for any charges or arrests by the afternoon.