Shaler police investigating social media threat against school district

SHALER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Shaler police are interviewing a juvenile suspect after a threat of violence was made on social media, officials said.

The threat was not specific to a school, but a spokeswoman for Shaler Area School District said they were contacted by police Thursday morning and made parents aware of the incident.

It’s unclear whether the suspect is a student.

TRENDING NOW:

• Toys R Us liquidation sale postponed: What you need to know
• Mom charged with leaving kids alone, toddler wandering outside
• School district cuts one day off school week; students will only go for four days a week
• VIDEO: Bride Temporarily Blinded By Poisonous Bouquet Gets Re-Do

"What we're seeing is juveniles and younger kids who think it's cool or they think it's fun to cause chaos at school or shut the school down. There are ramifications for that,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough.

Yarbrough told 11 investigates they've seen a significant increase in the number of threats against local schools.

It's why the FBI is investing more resources into helping local police with these cases.

Channel 11 asked Yarbough how difficult is it to determine what's credible and what's just someone spouting off online.

"You can't and you can't take that chance. So, we have to treat everything as if it's credible until we know otherwise,” Yarbough said.

Shaler's superintendent did sent an email to parents Thursday about the threat, saying it was not credible and Shaler police officers spent the day monitoring the campus.

Cox Media Group