Student arrested for making terroristic threats

State police: No weapons were found after student threatens a school shooting

OXFORD >> The “see something, say something” campaign may have saved lives and prevented a high school shooting in the Oxford Area School District.

The Pennsylvania State Police Avondale Barracks was dispatched to the Oxford Area High School at 705 Waterway Road at about 7:55 a.m. Wednesday for a report of terroristic threats. Upon arrival, state police said they made contact with the reporting party who related that two students heard another student allegedly making a threat about conducting a school shooting in the cafeteria.

Before the start of the school, police spoke to the suspect and conducted a search. The search did not yield any weapons on the person or in their vehicle. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with terroristic threats, according to state police. That student has been suspended from school and the investigation is ongoing. The threat comes nearly a month into the 2019-20 school year.

State police encourage the public to report such matters because it may save lives. The state police added that they treat each of those reports as a potential incident.

Oxford Area School District officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Oxford Area School District faculty participated in an active shooter drill during a professional in-service day last year to learn what to do in the event of such incidents and how to react to it. The Oxford police oversaw that program to help the faculty make decisions during a potential incident.