A 14-year-old boy is suspected of making a series of threats to commit violence at a Corona middle school, culminating in his arrest, authorities said Thursday.
According to the Corona Police Department, unspecified threats were posted to social media at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, indicating that Auburndale Intermediate School in the 1200 block of River Road would be targeted that day.
“Out of an abundance of caution, officers were assigned to be present at the school during the day,” Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis said.
Nothing out of the ordinary occurred, he said. However, in the early afternoon, an additional threat was posted online, this time suggesting an act of violence would be perpetrated Thursday “due to the police department being present at the school,” according to the police spokesman.
Investigators ultimately traced the source of the alleged threats to a boy residing in the 100 block of North Buena Vista Avenue, and detectives went to the home late Wednesday night, where they met with the juvenile suspect and his parents, who were cooperative, Kouroubacalis said.
He said the youth was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats, but a “search of the residence failed to produce weapons.”
The boy was booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall.
“The student who made the threats acted alone, and nothing suggests the involvement of others,” Kouroubacalis said.
Auburndale Principal Veronica Rodriguez thanked the police department for “swiftly determining the source of the threat.”
“We want to assure our families that these threats are not taken lightly and carry criminal and disciplinary consequences,” she said. “We ask parents to please remind your students, social media threats targeting the safety of our school will not be tolerated.”