UPDATE:
ECSO Press Release
On Sunday, November 5, 2017, Emery County Sheriff’s Office responded on a call made by a concerned citizen who reported overhearing an Emery High School student making threats that he was going to shoot students on Monday morning.
After reviewing the statement from the concerned citizen and with an alleged threat of violence mentioned, including an alleged post on Snapchat, ECSO located the individual who had allegedly made the threats and placed him in juvenile detention on Sunday. ECSO felt that it was in the best interest of the public and the juvenile to hold him while the matter was being investigated.
As a precautionary measure while this case was being investigated, law enforcement personnel were assigned to each school in the Emery County School District this morning to alleviate fears.
As part of the investigation, ECSO interviewed all students who might have heard the alleged threat and who might have seen the alleged Snapchat post. ECSO also interviewed friends of the juvenile.
ECSO has concluded their investigation. There is no evidence to substantiate that the juvenile posed a threat to students at Emery High School. The juvenile has been released and no charges will be filed.
ECSO strives to be on top of threats of violence in our communities and schools. We take these threats seriously and investigate all reports. We also encourage the public to report suspicious activity. However, in the time it takes to conduct a thorough investigation, social media runs rampant with posts that are blown out of proportion.
Although we do not release the names of juveniles, we recognize that his name is out there and his reputation has been tarnished. While social media can be helpful, it can also be harmful.