The 16-year-old boy, in remarks posted on the social media site, indicated his intent to use a gun to settle a beef with rival Tantasqua Regional High School students.
STURBRIDGE – A 16-year-old Tantasqua Regional High School student was arrested on Wednesday by Sturbridge police for allegedly posting threats on Facebook that indicated he might bring a gun to school to settle a beef with rivals.
Sturbridge Police Chief Thomas J. Ford III, who is handling all press inquiries regarding the case, did not immediately return a phone call Thursday morning, but a department press release said the male student was arrested Wednesday morning after posting the online threats to Facebook Tuesday night.
Sturbridge Police Lt. Mark G. Saloio said in the release that authorities learned about the threat from a parent whose child is friends with the suspect. The teen was arrested at Tantasqua High School and taken to Worcester Juvenile Court in Dudley for arraignment. The outcome of that hearing was not immediately known.
The teen allegedly made the Facebook threats — an increasingly common phenomenon on the popular social networking site – over conflicts he was having with other Tantasqua students. Authorities took the online remarks seriously. "Police and school officials took immediate action upon learning about the posts," Ford told abc40 news. "We feel that at no time were the students or faculty in any danger."
In March, two former Attleboro students were arrested after an alleged Facebook discussion about plotting an attack on Attleboro High School. One of the students wrote, "It's Columbine all over again," according to police and prosecutors.
Closer to home, a former Drury High School student admitted to making Facebook threats against his alma mater. Zachary T. Barbeau, 19, of Adams, pleaded guilty March 7 in Berkshire Superior Court to single counts of threatening to use a deadly weapon and causing serious public alarm. A judge last month ordered him to serve a two-year probation sentence and to attend counseling.