Student, 15, charged with making Falls Church school threat

The roof-mounted lightbar of an emergency vehicle police car(Getty Images/iStockphoto/eugenelucky)

WASHINGTON — A 15-year-old student of George Mason High School in Falls Church, Virginia, has been arrested and charged with threatening to commit serious bodily harm to people on school property.

Police in Falls Church said on Monday, school administrators gave them a note written by the student.

“The content of the note was seen while he was writing it,” said Susan Finarelli, public information officer with City of Falls Church police. “It contained something like plans, something like a list of people who he wanted to harm. So that was enough to make the police believe this was credible.”

The student was removed from class and arrested; his home was searched.

An investigation concluded that there was no immediate threat to the school or community.

“Nothing was in place that made it necessary for the high school to need to be evacuated or on lockdown or anything like that,” Finarelli said.

“We really appreciate how quickly the school administration, the school resource officer and everyone moved in this situation,” she added.

The teen’s arraignment began Tuesday at the Arlington County courthouse, but was continued until March 13 to allow more time for him to be evaluated.

The county provides court services for the city.

Michelle Basch

Michelle Basch is a reporter turned morning anchor at WTOP News.

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