Two Arrested In Connection To Threats Against Martinsburg High School

An adult and a juvenile were arrested and charged with making threats of terrorist acts and conspiracy Thursday morning.

In a press release, Martinsburg Police Chief Erin Gibbons said his office was notified around 10:25 p.m. Wednesday of a potential threat toward Martinsburg High School. The report was relayed through the West Virginia Fusion Center and Capitol Police in Charleston.

“Martinsburg Police officers and detectives immediately launched a comprehensive investigation,” Gibbons wrote in the release. “Working diligently through the night, investigators conducted multiple interviews, reviewed electronic communications, and followed leads across several locations until the individuals responsible were identified. The investigation determined that the threat was the result of prank calls and was not a credible danger to the school.”

The state’s Fusion Center has been at the forefront of local response to threats to schools and acts as the central repository for all threats of violence against schools received in the state. West Virginia was one of a dozen states that received hundreds of hoax threats against local schools last fall as such calls have risen in prevalence in recent years. 

“The Martinsburg Police Department takes all threats against our schools with the utmost seriousness,” Gibbons wrote. “Even when reports come in anonymously or appear questionable, every lead is pursued until the facts are determined. False reports of violence are not harmless pranks — they are crimes that carry serious consequences and divert resources from real emergencies. ”

The terroristic threat charge is a felony offense that carries no less than one to three years in prison or a fine of $5,000 to $25,000 or both fine and confinement.

Officials advise the public to not share threatening posts they may see online and instead to contact law enforcement directly, or through the SeeSend app, which allows users to submit anonymous information about potentially threatening behaviors or activities.