Over the last week, Mesa police officers have responded to and investigated several threats of violence toward schools in the city of Mesa. As a result, several Valley students are facing charges.
The threats were made verbally and through social media.
On September 12, 2024, three students came forward to report hearing another student at Eastmark High School say that they were going to shoot up the school.
The 17-year-old suspect will be facing charges of threatening and intimidating.
On September 13, 2024, three more students from Eastmark High School reported hearing another student threaten to shoot up Eastmark High School and their previous school.
The 13-year-old student was referred to Juvenile Court for two counts of threatening and intimidating (one for each school.)
Also on September 13, 2024, two students from Mountain View High School reported that another student threatened to shoot up the school.
The 15-year-old suspect was referred to Juvenile Court for one count of threatening and intimidating.
On September 16, 2024, Bush Elementary School received a suspicious call from a young man reporting a shooter on school grounds. Responding officers confirmed there was no shooter.
The 11-year-old caller was identified and contacted. He now faces charges of false reporting of terrorism and interfering with an educational institution.
On September 17, 2024, two students from Stapley Junior High reported a social media threat showing names of other students from their school in a post titled “The List.” Officers learned that the list was made in March 2024 by a 13-year-old student who was charged with disruption of an educational facility at that time. Charges are pending for threatening and intimidating currently.
On September 19, 2024, officers became aware of a new list of names circling within Stapley Junior High. Officers have identified a suspect and are actively working this case.
Every high school in the Mesa Public School district is secured with weapon detection devices and two school resource officers. Every Junior High is also staffed with a school resource officer. In addition, patrol officers with the Mesa Police Department have adopted schools in their respective districts and have randomly been stopping by to walk the campuses and provide extra security for students and staff members.