Juvenile Arrested for School Threats: Murrieta Police Respond Swiftly

“On September 11, 2023, at 8:31 p.m., the Murrieta Police Department Communications Center received a call from a concerned parent regarding a student threatening via a social media chat group to bring a gun to school the next day. The student involved in the chat attends Vista Murrieta High School. Officers from the Murrieta Police Department were dispatched and a School Threat Assessment Response (STAR) protocol was enacted. This protocol is used for school-related incidents for prevention, threat assessment, and intervention of school-related threats of violence.

After investigation, it was determined there was enough evidence to arrest the juvenile for a threat against another student under California Penal Code section 422, Criminal Threats. As a result, a fourteen-year-old student from Vista Murrieta High School was located and arrested that same evening, September 11, 2023. The juvenile was later booked at the Riverside County Juvenile Hall. Out of an abundance of caution, additional officers were assigned to Vista Murrieta High School this morning to conduct extra patrols and maintain a visible presence.

The Murrieta Police Department takes threats against students or schools seriously. Any threat to a student or a school will be thoroughly investigated and forwarded to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for filing and prosecution. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Corporal Matt Mozingo at (951) 461-6375.”