North Callaway student arrested following threat posted on Snapchat

KINGDOM CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Following a threat on social media on Thursday night, the Callaway County Sheriff's Office arrested a student and increased the presence of law enforcement at North Callaway High School on Friday.

The Callaway County Sheriff's Office said the North Callaway R-1 School District was made aware of a violent threat being shared at 10:46 p.m. on the social media application Snapchat.

According to a statement provided by the school district, a community member reached out to the school district after being made aware of the situation. School administration then contacted law enforcement.

The sheriff's office says at 12:03 a.m. Friday, a deputy found the suspect at a home in northern Callaway County. Authorities say the suspect is a minor and was taken into custody. The suspect was taken into the sheriff's office and was later handed over to the Callaway County Juvenile Office.

The Callaway County Sheriff's Office does not have a specialized unit to track down these social media threats. Rather, deputies are trained in the initial process of how to track down these threats.

"Most internet service providers and social media providers have law enforcement contacts for emergency basis," Sheriff Clay Chism said. "If we can prove there's an emergency situation, we can get information much faster without the need for court orders."

If a department can prove the severity of the emergency, they can be provided with critical information about the account where a threat originated.

"I want the kids to understand, this is not a joke," Sheriff Chism said. "If you put it on social media, you mean it, we're not going to take it as a joke."

This threat comes as the Moniteau County Sheriff's Office reports it is investigating a possible threat against the California R-1 School District. Authorities made contact with the person and believe there is no threat to the public.