Someone threatened to bring a gun to Scripps Ranch Middle School: the police

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) – A local high school was investigated Tuesday after someone threatened to bring a gun to campus, according to San Diego police.

After a closer look, investigators find that the threats against Marshall Middle School at Scripps Ranch were not credible. Still, some parents didn’t want to take the risk and took their children out of school for the rest of the day.

Alex Qureshi was earlier seen walking his 13-year-old daughter home due to threats allegedly made by the student on the popular social media platform known as Snapchat.

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On Tuesday morning, the principal sent an email to parents saying that the student who created the post had threatened to bring a gun and warned other students not to come to class.

San Diego police immediately investigated and determined this was not a credible threat.

“Even if it’s fake, I’d rather just distract her for a day or two,” Qureshi said regarding his daughter attending school amid threats.

Over the past few months, several threats have occurred at local schools, including in the South Bay. Although investigators found her unreliable, Chula Vista police arrested a 12-year-old middle school student for allegedly sending threatening text messages shared on social media.

Dr. Scott Poland, a professor in the College of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, is also the author of several books on school emergencies. He said that in most cases, students who make threats have no intention of actually following through.

“For some students, it may be a little more planned,” he explained, noting that students who make threats are usually trying to disrupt or entertain something to get the attention of their peers.

Dr. Poland also stated that some students do not realize the serious legal consequences of making such threats.

“Parents need to have this conversation with their children – that there are things in today’s world that shouldn’t be joked about, and let’s talk about what they are,” he further explained.

Dr. Poland suggested parents monitor their child’s smartphone, especially if they have social media profiles.

Regarding the recent threat at Marshall Middle School, campus police have taken over the investigation. It is unclear at this time whether the person who published the post has been identified.

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