(Missourinet) – Missouri is facing a significant rise in hoax school threats this academic year, prompting a robust response from law enforcement and federal agencies. U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming, in collaboration with the FBI St. Louis, the ATF, and the St. Louis Area Police Chiefs Association, announced a joint effort to combat the increasing frequency of these false reports.
Florissant Police Chief Timothy Fagan emphasized the seriousness of these incidents. He explained that what many students might consider a prank is being treated as a major violation of the law.
“If you choose to make a school threat and you are taken into custody by law enforcement, you will not be going home at the end of the day. Making a school threat is a very serious violation of the law and there are consequences that result from that threat,” said Fagan.
Fagan, who leads the St. Louis Area Police Chiefs Association, further stressed that school threats, even if intended as jokes, have real and severe consequences. He noted that individuals involved in such cases could be placed under court supervision and, in extreme situations, children could be prosecuted as adults under state and federal laws.
The surge in threats has placed a heavy burden on law enforcement agencies, many of which are working closely with federal partners to address the situation. Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI’s St. Louis field office explained the potential legal ramifications at the federal level.
“At the federal level, you can be sentenced up to five years, not a joke. If someone is injured, that sentence can go up to 20 years, not a joke. If death occurs, you could be facing a life sentence. Again, not a joke,” Johnson warned.
She urged students and parents alike to refrain from sharing hoax threats seen online, as doing so can impede law enforcement efforts.
