Teenager arrested after making threats against Helena High School

AFTERNOON UPDATE: According to Helena police, a 14-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday in connection with the threats against Helena High School.

“At the conclusion of the investigation, a juvenile was arrested for intimidation and taken to a juvenile detention center,” said Deputy Police Chief Cory Bailey. “Officers are still investigating but are not aware of any other active threats to the schools.”

According to Helena Public Schools, the district was notified Wednesday morning of two separate threats posted on the social media platform SnapChat. The first threat did not refer to specific schools in Montana and was deemed implausible by law enforcement.

“Helena Police Chief Brett Petty informed us that this post was already on the radar of the Montana Analysis and Technical Information Center (MAITIC), a division of the Montana Department of Justice that tracks and analyzes social media threats,” Superintendent Rex Weltz wrote in a statement to Helena Public Schools families and staff.

At the same time, a second threat was posted on SnapChat, specifically targeting Helena High, but from a local source.

In response, the district issued a shelter in place order for Helena High.

“Unfortunately, a rumor arose on social media due to the reporting of two threats against the school on the same morning – one credible and one not. Posts claimed that a threat reported by Capital High students had been ignored by school staff and administration. This was not the case,” Weltz wrote.

Weltz thanked the students who reported the threats and urged families and community members to be vigilant against rumors.

“It is human nature for rumors to spread quickly, especially in today's digital world. In the event of an emergency, be sure to obtain information from trusted sources, whether via district email or text message, the district's website, the district's Facebook page, or updates from law enforcement,” Weltz wrote. “When a threat is received, the safety of students and staff at your school and our district office is the top priority. Our immediate actions focus on working with law enforcement, initiating appropriate response protocols, and communicating with staff. Once these immediate safety needs are met, the focus shifts to communicating with parents and the community, taking the time necessary to ensure we are sharing accurate and appropriate information. This in itself is a safety precaution.”

All Helena public schools will operate as usual tomorrow. Police presence will be increased at schools throughout the district.

MORNING UPDATE: The curfew order at Helena High School was lifted Wednesday morning and school operations have returned to normal.

Helena police have identified the source of a threat made on SnapChat against the high school, according to the school district.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and we appreciate the community’s understanding and patience as we worked with law enforcement to resolve the situation,” the school district wrote in a press release.

ORIGINAL STORY: Due to an external threat to the school, a curfew has been imposed at Helena High School as a precautionary measure.

Law enforcement is currently investigating whether the threat is credible. Helena Public Schools has asked the Helena Police Department to increase police presence at all schools for the time being.

At Helena High, all exterior doors are locked and students and staff will remain in their current classrooms until the curfew is lifted.

The school district will provide additional information as it becomes available.