Middle school student arrested for threatening to shoot up school with AK-47: Cops

Authorities in Missouri say a 13-year-old boy threatened to use an AK-47 rifle in a mass shooting at a local school.

According to the Springfield News-Leader, police arrested the suspect Sunday morning on suspicion of making a terrorist threat.

He reportedly made the threat in a video he shared online with someone else.

A media statement from the Republic Police Department indicates officers removed multiple guns, along with other evidence, during a search of his home.

Police say the local school district helped identify the suspect, who was transported early Sunday morning to the Greene County Juvenile Detention Center.

Though police say the boy’s threat was not aimed at a particular school, Republic Schools Superintendent Chance Wistrom confirmed he attended Republic Middle School.

He added that teachers in the district will be updated prior to the beginning of school on Monday with instruction regarding how to approach the topic and advice for reporting possible threats.

“We want students to know we’re all in this together,” he said. “We need to be aware of any concerning incidents, no matter how big or how small.”

Wistrom encouraged parents to reinforce that message at home with their children.

“I think we need to continue to remind our kids not to be scared, but certainly to constantly be aware of their surroundings,” he said. “If something doesn’t seem right, perhaps it’s not.”

In a statement, the Republic School District expressed gratitude for the tip that led to an investigation, as well as the local police who followed up on it, according to Ozarks First.

“It’s important to note that regardless of severity, we take these situations seriously and are thankful for RPD’s partnership in working through these types of cases,” the statement read.

[Featured image: Facebook/Republic Middle School]