School is calm after fights and threats

Police remain on campus after rash of violence

Several days after online threats alarmed Riverside’s Poly High School community, no further incidents have been reported and school and district staff continue to take precautions.

The posts came soon after four fights broke out on campus Feb. 29, prompting a response by police and paramedics, though officials said no one was arrested or hospitalized.

The threats included photos of a handgun, and a caption saying it would be brought to the school, Riverside Police Department spokesperson Ryan Railsback said Saturday.

“A significant amount of students” did not come to school Monday, but exact numbers weren’t available as of Tuesday, Riverside Unified School District spokesperson Diana Meza said.

Police reported Saturday that they are working with Poly and the district to investigate the posts’ origin, and so far, “none of those posts have been substantiated.”

Law enforcement remained on campus Monday, according to an email Principal Darel Hansen sent to the school community, and “the day proceeded calmly.” The school also adopted a temporary schedule with two lunch periods to improve the supervision of students.

The online threats remain unsubstantiated, he wrote, but “at a minimum, additional staff from the district office and police presence will remain through the week.”

“We want to reiterate that the student behavior displayed in recent days is unacceptable, and consequences have been and will continue to be applied accordingly,” he said. “Our priority is to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for all students, and we appreciate your partnership in reinforcing this message at home.”

A Tuesday update from Hansen said there were no incidents, and most students were in attendance at the school.

Additionally, he wrote that Riverside police “conducted a number of home searches as part of their investigation, which did not yield any concerns.”