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Police make 2nd arrest for online threat mentioning Greenfield school

FBI agents tipped off Greenfield officials about a threat against Weston Elementary posted to social media in July.

GREENFIELD, Ind. — Police in Greenfield have arrested a second teenager for an online threat made to an elementary school in the city last month.

FBI agents tipped off Greenfield officials about a threat posted to social media on July 18. Greenfield Police said the threat was "very specific in nature" and referenced Weston Elementary, a school within the Greenfield-Central School District.

Detectives identified two 14-year-old boys who were believed to have been involved in posting the threat to social media. 

The teens were brought in for questioning and a day later, police said one of the teens was detained with criminal charges pending. On Aug. 12, police announced the arrest of the second person believed to be involved in the threat.

The Hancock County Prosecutors Office will determine what charges will be filed, based on probable cause, for both teens, police said. Police are not releasing the identities of those who were arrested.

Police said Friday there is no ongoing threat to Weston Elementary or any other school in the district.

Regardless of the outcome, Greenfield Police said this incident, "serves as a reminder to parents to know what your children are doing online and who they are communicating with."

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Police warn that any post on social media can be quickly captured, saved and reposted and that officers take every threat seriously and will fully investigate it. 

"Threats are not joking matters," the police department said in a release. "No one should ever like, repost or forward a social media threat to anyone other than law enforcement."

Officers are working with Greenfield-Central Schools to ensure they remain safe. 

In a release, Deputy Chief Charles McMichael said policies and procedures are in place for incidents like this one and that school resource officers will continue to be at schools daily. 

"The Greenfield Police Department and the Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation take all threats to the safety and security of staff and students very seriously," McMichael said. "While safety measures and plans are not fully shared with the public for security reasons, be assured they are in place and being followed in this incident."

Greenfield Police had been posting social media updates on the case. However, two days after the threat was posted, the department said it took those updates down after a judge issued a confidentiality order. The department said the order prohibits law enforcement from providing or releasing any information about the case to anyone outside of the investigation.

An update posted to Facebook on Aug. 12 announcing the second arrest also referenced the court order, so there were no further details provided.

Anyone who sees a threatening post is being urged to contact their local law enforcement agency as soon as possible or call 911.

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