BISMARCK — The Bismarck Police Department arrested two high school students after they disseminated a Snapchat with a threat to their school. The students claimed it was meant as a joke, police said.
Police learned Wednesday, Jan. 5, that a Snapchat with a picture of a semi-automatic rifle, bearing the caption "Don't go too school tmr," was circulating among students in one of Bismarck's two public high schools, according to police, who declined to say which high school the students attended in order to protect their identities.
The two students were arrested but were not detained as of Thursday afternoon, Lt. Luke Gardiner told The Forum. The original Snapchat was sent from one student to a second, and the second student took a screenshot of the message and sent it to other students, Gardiner said.
Multiple students brought the Snapchat threat to the attention of school administrators.
Students across the country have been arrested for similar school threats broadcast over popular social media platforms, such as TikTok and Snapchat. Last month, a nationwide TikTok threat prompted some North Dakota schools to undergo lockdown procedures.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Michelle Griffith, a Report for America corps member, at mgriffith@forumcomm.com.
