In the aftermath of a shooting at a Palmdale high school, authorities are working to address concerns after reports surfaced on the internet about threats at two Antelope Valley schools.
Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside a congressman’s office Saturday to continue the push for improved school safety and gun control measures.
Detectives were investigating a Social Media post about a rumored threat to Highland High School in Palmdale, the scene of a shooting Friday when a 14-year-old boy wounded a 15-year-old boy, Lancaster Sheriff’s Station spokeswoman Ali Villalobos said.
“Detectives from the school unit have … located the individual who posted this message,” Villalobos said. “While the individual claims this is only a rumor, detectives are investigating every lead thoroughly. The investigation is still ongoing.”
A second message suggested a possible threat to students at Quartz Hill High School in Lancaster.
“Detectives from our school unit immediately began investigating the threat and have located the individual who re-posted the message,” Villalobos said. “It has been discovered the post is an old post, relating back to the previously investigated incident from February.”
That threat was deemed not credible.
Villalobos referred to a social media threat Feb. 22 that followed a verbal threat of violence Feb. 21. A student was detained in connection with the verbal threat and the social media threat was deemed not credible.
Villalobos thanked every parent, faculty member and student who alerted authorities to the posts.
“We continue to work hand in hand with our community to ensure we provide the safest learning environment for all of our students,” Villalobos said. “Our station takes every single threat, comment and/or `rumor` seriously and will investigate each one thoroughly.”
The Saturday protest took place outside the field office of Congressman Steve Knight, who organizers said has an A rating from the National Rifle Association and has received thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the gun rights group.
“We need a change,” protester Diana Zaragoza told CBS2. “How much (are) our lives worth to him, $15,000 from the NRA? That’s sad. We just want him to do something. Listen to us.”
Knight released a statement pointing to a bill he introduced in Congress calling for increased funding for more training and school safety measures.
He said the Friday shooting “continues to underline the urgency we are facing in America to make our schools safer.”