10:01am | Long Beach police arrested a Millikan High School student Wednesday after his classmates reported that someone was threatening violence against them on a popular social networking website and an investigation revealed that he was likely responsible.

Officers with the Long Beach Police Department took the 17-year-old male suspect, whose name is not being released because he is a minor, into custody Thursday at his home in West Long Beach, said LBPD Sgt. Rico Fernandez.

The suspect was booked at the Long Beach Police Department’s Youth Services Division and charged with making criminal threats and obstruction of justice, the sergeant said. The teenager was later released to his parents.

“The Long Beach Police Department took immediate action upon notification of this incident to investigate the circumstances surrounding any potential for violence on the school campus,” said LBPD Chief Jim McDonnell in a statement. “We will not tolerate any threats or behaviors with propensity for violence towards our students.”

A female student at Millikan who lives in East had contacted the department on Wednesday to report the threats. A preliminary investigation revealed that an unknown person had last week befriended a particular group of friends on Facebook.com. The members of the group of friends are all students at Millikan, Fernandez said.

Over the next few days the individual made several threats to harm the students. Officers and detectives, concerned for the safety of the students and the school, worked “diligently,” Fernandez said, conducting interviews and gathering information from various sources as they attempted to identify the person responsible for making the threats.

After many hours of investigation, officers learned the identity of the suspect allegedly responsible. 

Upon obtaining a search warrant, officers showed up at the suspect’s home on the west side of Long Beach and placed him under arrest at approximately 7 a.m. Thursday without incident, Fernandez said.

Officers confiscated several pieces of evidence at the suspect’s home, including a computer and other electronic devices.

The LBPD is reminding all social media users, both teens and adults, that posting threats online is a crime. Anyone who posts messages threatening to harm another person is subject to arrest and criminal prosecution, Fernandez said.

“Social media should not be used as a venue to cause harm or intimidation,” Fernandez said.

Parents of youth who use social networking websites share urged to closely monitor their children’s online activities and follow some basic safety precautions, including:

  • Remind your children not to accept friend requests from people they don’t know.
  • Ensure that their privacy settings are adjusted to safeguard any personal identifying information;
  • Help your kids understand what information should be kept private and why;
  • See that they only post information that you and they are comfortable with others seeing;
  • Remind your kids that anything they post online cannot be taken back and is traceable;
  • Know what sites your kids are visiting; and
  • If you feel your child has been the victim of online threats or bullying, contact your local authorities or school campus safety personnel.

Anyone who has any information regarding this case is asked to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Youth Services Division detectives at 562-570-1426.

Anonymous tips may also be submitted via text or email by visiting LongBeach.gov/police.