Charges to be filed against Neosho juvenile after junior high threat hoax
Formal charges are pending against a juvenile after threats were made against the Neosho Junior High School this week.
Read the full press release from Neosho PD below:
On Tuesday, October 15, Neosho Police responded to the Neosho Junior High as a request to investigate a report of a terroristic threats.
During the investigation, Neosho Police Detectives learned that two Juvenile males had taken a photograph of BB guns that was later edited and posted on social media by a separate 12 year-old Juvenile female. The photograph had an added caption that indicated that a school shooting was planned to take place on Wednesday October 16.
It was determined by Detectives that this incident was a hoax, and no real threat existed.
As of this time, the offender has been properly identified and has been referred to the Newton County Juvenile Office for formal charges. It should be known that if the juvenile was an adult they would be charged with the following offense:
574.115. Making a terrorist threat, first-degree — penalty. — 1. A person commits the offense of making a terrorist threat in the first degree if such person, with the purpose of frightening ten or more people or causing the evacuation, quarantine, or closure of any portion of a building, inhabitable structure, place of assembly or facility of transportation, knowingly:
(1) Communicates an express or implied threat to cause an incident or condition involving danger to life; or
(2) Communicates a false report of an incident or condition involving danger to life; or
(3) Causes a false belief or fear that an incident has occurred or that a condition exists involving danger to life.
2. The offense of making a terrorist threat in the first degree is a class D felony.
3. No offense is committed under this section by a person acting in good faith with the purpose to prevent harm.
Throughout the week, the Neosho School District has kept parents informed, sending out messages such as these:
