A student at John Burroughs High School has been charged with a felony after allegedly making terrorist threats against a peer via Twitter, saying he would "shoot him up like Columbine," according to Burbank police.
The student on the receiving end of the threat was "really concerned for his safety and that the student would carry out that threat," Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.
Burbank police arrested the alleged aggressor Tuesday night after interviewing him, the victim and the teens’ parents.
"He did admit to making the comments and just said it was a joke," Ryburn said.
The teen was later released but not before his name was put in a database and now he may not be able to return to Burroughs High. Because he's a juvenile, his mother was also cited.
Parents gathered outside the high school on Wednesday commended the school and police for their aggressive and quick response.
"You know, it's not a joke, you have to be careful of what you post on Twitter or Facebook because people are going to take it seriously," parent Clare Hovan said.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
In his tweet, the student who was charged referenced the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, in which two students shot dozens of their peers and educators, killing 12 students and one teacher.
Administrators at Burroughs High School encourage students to report bullying and crime as part of a campus-wide zero-tolerance policy.
