Girl arrested after social media threats against Parkside school

A shooting threat against a local elementary school has led to an arrest and an increased police presence at schools today.

The Columbus Police Department announced last night that a juvenile girl had been arrested and taken to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center on charges of intimidation and false informing.

The incident began Friday evening with a threat on social media against Parkside Elementary school saying that there would be a shooting at the school today. Columbus police began investigating immediately and believe the threat came from an elementary school student. Officers determined that the threat was not credible and the student does not have access to firearms, Police said that the child would not be attending school while police work with school officials and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office to determine the next steps.

Police say that the protection of school is their our number one focus and additional school resource officers will be in place at Parkside Elementary School. Columbus police are coordinating with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police to ensure safety at all schools.

Authorities are also stressing the need to teach children about responsible internet use and for parents to actively monitor their online activity. And they warn about the dangers of sharing unverified information online.