SEWICKLEY, Pa. — A Sewickley Academy student has been expelled after an image of him with a threatening caption surfaced, Channel 11 News learned Wednesday.
The image in question was posted Sunday night on the app Snapchat, with the caption, "If u (sic) want to live, don't come to school on Monday,” and showed the student holding an airsoft gun that looked like a real assault rifle.
Edgeworth Police Chief John English said when school officials first called him and showed him the images, he thought the gun was real.
“It looks just like a real assault weapon,” he said. “The only thing you didn't have on it was the orange tip. It turned out to be an airsoft rifle, a toy.”
Initially, neither police nor the prep school knew the item was a toy gun, prompting them to take the perceived threat seriously.
Channel 11 News learned that school officials approached the student before he entered the building early Monday morning, and no one was hurt. The administration sent an email Tuesday to parents, detailing what happened and acknowledging its policy to not comment on disciplinary actions.
“Our community's right to information on this case warrants this disclosure,” the email read, in part. "Sewickley Academy takes its obligation to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all members of our community. “
Channel 11 News learned Wednesday that the student was expelled. English said it’s a hard lesson to learn about social media.
“Anything you post is always out there somewhere to follow you the rest of your life,” he said.
He credited Sewickley Academy officials for taking quick action and getting police involved. Both parties do have the Snapchat picture of the juvenile student but would not share it with Channel 11 News.
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