SWAR student appears in court after alleged threat on social media

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DE QUEEN, AR (KSLA) - A Southwest Arkansas student spent the day in court Thursday on a charge of terroristic threatening in the first degree.

Authorities say the threat was made through social media and now, police in De Queen are trying to find out why.

"Anything like this in today's day, you take seriously and we acted I think very appropriately on it," said De Queen Schools Superintendent Bruce Hill.

Hill said things were back to normal Thursday on school campuses. Before classes began Wednesday morning, school officials say they were notified by a student of an alarming Snapchat message from another student.

"Saying that he was going to kill some students at school," explained Hill.

Hill said before the opening bell, school officials were able to talk to the student accused of posting the threat.

"We actually stopped the student before he ever entered the building and had him in the office and performed a search and called the police," said Hill.

Thursday, wearing handcuffs and surrounded by security, the 15-year-old student was in court. A judge ordered the teenager to remain in police custody as the investigation continues.

"It appears that evidence is coming forth that this was just more than a comment, there is evidence that it could have been planned and targeted at certain individuals," explained prosecuting attorney Bryan Chesshir.

Police and school leaders are praising the action of the student who came forth with the information they say could have saved others from harm.

"With the student coming forward, it possibly stopped anything else from occurring," said Captain Scott Simmons with the De Queen Police Department.

So far, investigators believe the 15-year-old acted alone in sending the threat on social media. He will remain in a juvenile lockup at least until another court hearing is scheduled.

The student's name is being withheld at this time.