School hoax threats will not be tolerated, FBI says

Before schools even headed back to class this summer, some local high schools were dealing with potential first day of school threats. Channel 11 told you about a recent investigation at West Mifflin High School that had parents worried.

The FBI wants students heading back to school to take one thing seriously: hoax threats will not be tolerated. Following the Parkland school shooting in Florida last February, western Pennsylvania schools were hit with a series of online scares and threats.

By March, our partners at TribLive reported 46 threats were made against schools in southwest Pennsylvania. More than a dozen students as young as 12 years old were facing terroristic threats charges. It left a lot of parents shocked and disturbed.

"It's a lot different than when I was in high school 15 years ago, and frankly, it's scary," said Will Theisen, an East Liberty resident.

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In May, the FBI began running public service announcements on radio warning students about the consequences of making threats online. The threats could lead to federal charges – and up to five years in prison.

“A couple of keystrokes and you might have created a situation that can be difficult,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Jones, who is in charge of the Pittsburgh office.

The FBI says help from the public is critical in these investigations. The bureau tells people to report any suspicious activity or online threats immediately with a call to 9-1-1 or by leaving a message on the FBI website.

Early intervention could save lives.

"Based on what we've seen across the countryside over the last couple of years, when it comes to actual threats, we are going to roll out as much as we can in order to make sure that particular facility is safe," Jones said.

Penalties apply to threats made by phone, text or social media. FBI officials say investigating each one comes with high costs to local police departments and taxpayers and creates a lot of emotional stress for students, parents and teachers.

“I think we have to understand we have to talk to our children, we have to teach our childen that ‘snitching’ is not a bad word,” said Leo Disheards of Penn Hills. “It's policing your school, it’s policing your friends, it’s helping you with your friends, and they have to understand it’s not a joke.”

Cox Media Group