A 15-year-old student at Nashua High School South has been arrested after making violent threats against other students on social media.
Police say the threats on Instagram directed at multiple students at the high school were reported Tuesday evening. The threats included photos of firearms in the posts.
"Y'all thought I was joking," read senior Chelise Raschella. "It's going to be really funny when you see me in the news tomorrow."
Raschella read out loud the message posted along with the home video from her classmate.
"That's when I was like, 'oh that’s more serious than I thought,'" she said.
The post was so alarming to Nashua senior Emma Thompson that she told her mom, who called Nashua Police right away.
"I was kind of like freaking out a little bit," Thompson said.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
The unidentified juvenile was arrested around 11 Tuesday evening. He was charged with two counts of criminal threatening and was released to his parents.
The Nashua Police Department’s Special Investigations Division investigated and determined that none of the threats were specifically directed towards the school.
Lt. Kerry Baxter says what’s also worrisome is that a number of students were encouraging this behavior.
"The other individuals who were posting on this particular juvenile's accounts were egging him on to carry out acts of violence and to kill himself," Baxter said.
Nashua school bus driver Dawn Bonnell says she has a big problem with anyone who threatens the safety of her students.
"I consider these kids as my own kids," Bonnell said. "It's very disturbing that things like this have to happen."
The Nashua School District arranged to have an officer present at both high schools on Wednesday as a precaution. Police say all students were safe.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Nashua Police Department at (603)594-3500.
