Massachusetts Teen Arrested After School Threats Flagged in Gaming Chat

A 17-year-old from Raynham, Massachusetts, was arrested Friday morning, Sept. 11, after an online gaming platform flagged threatening messages from an account police linked to him, according to the Raynham Police Department. Police said the two statements appeared in a game’s text chat. One threatened a school shooting and the other a bombing. The teen, a juvenile, was not named. Police said the arrest came the same morning they were alerted to the messages.

A preliminary investigation found the threats were not credible, police said. Investigators determined the teen did not have access to weapons, and no weapons were located.

Gaming chat flagged before police investigation

According to the police release, the gaming platform flagged the two statements, and the FBI notified Raynham police early Friday. The FBI also gave local officers information associated with the account. Police did not identify the platform or the game.

Officers then identified a juvenile believed to be associated with the account and went to his residence. During the subsequent investigation, they determined there was probable cause to arrest him, the department said. The arrest was made by Raynham police.

The teen was charged with making a false bomb threat, according to Raynham police. Boston 25 News reported the same charge and sequence of events.

“These types of threats are taken extremely seriously, regardless of where or how they are made,” Police Chief David LaPlante said in the release.

School district notified

Police notified the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District of the investigation and stayed in contact with district officials.

Based on the preliminary investigation, police said they did not believe there was any threat to the school community. As a precaution, they announced an increased police presence at district schools throughout the day Friday. The release did not describe any arrangements after that day.

Superintendent Ryan T. Powers said the district takes any threat involving a school extremely seriously. He said the district will handle the matter under its student handbook and established policies.

The teen will be arraigned in Taunton Juvenile Court, according to the Sept. 11 police release, which did not give a date. Police noted that the case involves allegations and that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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