Gila Ridge threat: No danger found

Official: Safety top priority on school campuses

An abundance of caution prompted Yuma Union High School District officials to cancel classes at Gila Ridge High School on Tuesday after an apparent threat spread on social media.

“The safety and well-being of our students is not something we take lightly,” YUHSD Superintendent Gina Thompson said. “It is our top priority and in times like today it is our only priority. There is no place for threats of violence towards school campuses.”

She noted, “Our students must feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment. We cannot stand for anything less. The dialogue between students, teachers and parents must remain open and positive. This not a time to live in fear, but a time to be vigilant as a community to solve this problem together.”

According to Chief of Police John Lekan, Yuma police have not been yet able to substantiate any threat was ever made, but the investigation is ongoing.

“There has been no credible evidence uncovered thus far of a school shooting to occur at Gila Ridge High School,” Lekan stated.

Public Affairs Sgt. Lori Franklin stated police became aware of the possible threat at about 8 p.m. Monday night through reports of social media chatter discussing the topic and calls from the public.

As a result, additional school resource officers (SROs), supervisory staff and investigators were called in to determine the credibility of the threat. After contacting several parents and students, it was determined the original post was actually a nonthreatening message on a social media network called Snapchat.

Once the student who made the original post was identified, he was contacted, and then interviewed at the Yuma Police Department. Other students believed to have information were also contacted and interviewed.

Franklin said it appears that after viewing and misinterpreting the original post on Snapchat, several social media participants made a number of follow-up posts with inaccurate or false information.

Some of those posts stated that guns and ammunition had been found on the campus of Gila Ridge High School, and the threat was made as a diversion so the shooting could take place at a different school. Neither allegation is true.

As a precautionary measure and in response to those posts, the YPD Special Enforcement Team (SET) with the assistance of canines and officers from

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma conducted a security search of the school grounds Monday night.

No weapons or ammunition were located.

“We have received countless calls from our community related to this matter, and have fully investigated all information as it comes in,” Franklin said.

Franklin added that, due to the nature of social media, a lot of misinformation was spread during the incident and police are working to identify the people who intentionally made and spread the misleading posts.

She added the Yuma Police Department has also been working closely with Yuma Union High School District, Yuma Elementary School District and Crane School District staff throughout this investigation.

Classes at Gila Ridge High School will resume Wednesday morning. First period classes start at 7:45 a.m.

Because the school was closed Tuesday all events were canceled and will be rescheduled as possible, said community relations director Eric Patten.

As to whether students will have to make up the missed day of academic classes, Patten said that is something the district will follow up with the state Department of Education about. He said if a makeup day is to be required, parents would be notified.

YPD asks anyone with any information about the case to call 928-373-4700, or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

Yuma Sun Staff Writer Amy Crawford contributed to this story.