A 15-year-old Highland High School student was arrested Thursday after investigators say she used social media to threaten explosives at her own campus. Highland High in Ault delayed its morning start while law enforcement secured the buildings and conducted a sweep, and students who arrived early were kept in a separate, already-searched gym. No explosive devices were found, and classes resumed mid-morning after authorities gave the all-clear.
Rapid response, K-9 teams joined sweep
The Ault Police Department told CBS News Colorado it was notified at about 7 a.m. after Highland School District security staff flagged an overnight post that referenced explosives. Officers got to the campus before most students and staff, secured the building and called in explosive-detection K-9 teams from the Greeley Police Department and the Larimer County Sheriff's Office for a full visual search. The sweep lasted roughly three hours, the outlet reported, and the campus was cleared by about 10 a.m. Police later arrested a 15-year-old at her Pierce home and say she faces criminal charges.
District safety procedures
Weld RE-9’s website highlights the district’s safety resources, parent portal and links to reporting tools such as Safe2Tell, and underscores the district’s regular coordination with law enforcement during incidents. Those online resources are what district officials use to notify families about campus delays and sweeps, and the district lists contact information for parents on its main page.
Similar incidents around Colorado
School threats have surfaced across the state this spring. In a recent case, a 16-year-old at Niwot High School was arrested after a bomb threat and charged with a false report to explosives, which local reporting described as a felony, according to Denver7.
What the charges look like
Earlier this year, Commerce City police described a separate incident in which students were arrested after fake bomb and active-shooter threats. Officers said the suspects faced both misdemeanor interference counts and felony false-report charges, per reporting by KKTV. Those cases highlight how social-media threats can trigger large multi-agency responses and a mix of criminal and school-discipline processes when suspects are identified.
