Santa Barbara Police Investigate Threat of Possible School Violence
‘Vague and Non-Specific’ Threat Posted on Social Media Prompts Police Presence Around S.B. Schools on Monday
[Updated: Mon., Sept. 16, 4:12 p.m.]
The Santa Barbara Police Department received a report from a concerned parent on Monday, September 16, regarding a discussion of possible school violence in the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) via social media, according to a press release.
Spokesperson Ethan Ragsdale called the information “vague and non-specific,” but said there would be police presence around Santa Barbara Unified Schools throughout the day as a precaution. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Ford at (805) 897-2343 or bford@sbpd.com.
As of Monday afternoon, “law enforcement is continuously investigating each post and making contact with parents and students,” said Ed Zuchelli, chief of communications for SBUSD. “The validity of these posts is still undetermined at this time.”
“Santa Barbara Unified, like other Districts in our County … has seen this uptick in reports since the tragic school violence in Georgia. We treat all reports as serious and work with law enforcement to determine the credibility of the threat,” Zuchelli added.
It remains unclear which schools in the district were involved.
This is the sixth potential threat of school violence in Santa Barbara County in the past two weeks.
On Sunday evening, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies received notification of a potential threat to Orcutt Junior High School’s campus, but did not identify any immediate threat. Increased patrols will remain in the area today.
These most recent incidents come after potential violence threats at San Marcos High School, Dos Pueblos High School, Jonata Middle School in Buellton, and an unidentified school in Santa Maria.
A suspected gun threat put San Marcos High School on lockdown last Thursday, September 12, and Dos Pueblos High School was the subject of a social media threat the same day. The day before, detectives and a Behavioral Science Unit responded to a threat involving Jonata Middle School in Buellton. None of the threats were deemed credible.
On September 5, a 14-year-old male was arrested after the FBI flagged a social media post threatening a school shooting in Santa Maria. The FBI sent the tip to the Santa Maria Police Department, who arrested the teen 35 minutes after notification of the threat. The teen possessed a replica firearm at the time.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Raquel Zick has echoed the same statement — “If you see something, say something.”
