Three face charges after series of school threats
County prosecutors charged three juveniles in separate cases stemming from incidents in which threats were made against local schools in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting.
The three juveniles were either charged with threatening a violent act or planning a violent act, said Kyle Felty, director of juvenile services for the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office. Felty declined to comment on specifics, citing confidentiality of juvenile cases.
“Planning a violent act requires there’s a suggestion of a plan or scheme to do something,” he said. “Threatening a violent act is more of a generalized threat.”
He confirmed that the charges stemmed from recent threats made against or in relation to Tulsa schools. Felty said only one investigative report indicated that, at some point in the investigation, the juvenile made statements that the alleged threat was a joke.
In Tulsa, authorities have arrested multiple people in connection to threats made regarding Webster, Rogers and East Central high schools, as well as Dove Science Academy.
Authorities have provided little information about the cases and the juveniles involved, citing confidentiality concerns.
The earliest arrest Tulsa police made was of a 14-year-old male Webster High School student on Feb. 22. That student allegedly made a threat via Snapchat. Police arrested him on a complaint of threatening a violent act.
The following day, police arrested a 15-year-old male who allegedly posted a threat directed toward Dove Science Academy. Police said that juvenile, in the presence of his mother, “admitted to making the post as a joke,” Tulsa Police Sgt. Shane Tuell said in a news release.
On Tuesday, police arrested a juvenile and an adult after the two shared screenshots of a previous threat against East Central High School. The teen, a student of the school, posted a screenshot of a previous threat.
The post reportedly included the caption, “Yall that claim to be shooters better pull through 100%.” Tony Vue, 23, allegedly posted a photo of a semiautomatic rifle and a handgun with a statement about “goin to war,” according to police. Charges have not yet been filed against Vue, according to online court records.
Both were arrested on complaints of threatening a violent act. Vue was booked into Tulsa jail on the complaint. He has since posted a $25,000 bond.
Coweta police arrested two juveniles last week for allegedly threatening violent acts against their schools. District Attorney Jack Thorp in Wagoner County said the two cases were related by subject matter, but it was not readily apparent if the two juveniles were connected.
Thorp said the alleged threats appeared to be “spurred on by rumors.” The two students allegedly posted threats of a shooting, but they did not have “the imminent ability to carry it out.”
As of Wednesday morning, charges in those two cases have not yet been filed. Those two students were arrested on complaints of threatening a violent act and perpetuating a terrorist hoax.
Muskogee County sheriff’s deputies arrested an Oktaha Public Schools student Monday on allegations he made verbal threats. Deputies arrested that student, who was not armed, when he arrived to campus that morning.
Muskogee County District Attorney Orvil Loge declined to comment on the status of that case, citing confidentiality concerns.