A concerning incident at Slater Middle School yesterday led to a police investigation after a student made threatening jokes about bringing a gun to school. According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, a community member overheard the disturbing comments on a city bus and provided details, including a photo of the student, to authorities.
The investigation began early when police arrived at the school around 7:45 am. Working with school administrators, the 14-year-old student was quietly removed from class, leaving other students unaware of the situation. A search was conducted, which yielded a boxcutter found in the student's pocket, but no firearms or narcotics were discovered, the police reported.
Further inquiry by officers confirmed that the remarks on the bus were indeed a poor attempt at humor, with no genuine intent to carry out the threat. The student, however, was not let off the hook. They were issued an arrest citation for possession of a knife or cutting instrument on a school campus and released into the custody of their mother. This case, number 24-11095, highlights the authority's zero-tolerance policy towards even the suggestion of violence in educational settings.
The Santa Rosa City Schools District encourages using the STOPit app to maintain vigilance. This app provides a discreet way for students to report potential threats by allowing them to share information anonymously with school administrators. The police department encourages anyone with urgent concerns to dial 911 or 707-528-5222 for non-emergency issues.
