According to authorities, a loaded handgun-wielding former Ritenour High School student was taken into custody on Tuesday afternoon following the posting of a threat on social media.
The young suspect, according to the officers, fled from the police and abandoned his gun before being found in a car a few blocks from the school.
No one was hurt, and no shots were fired. The teen’s current school, Husky Academy, and Ritenour High took preventative precautions to ensure everyone’s safety while the suspect was being apprehended.
According to police, the man was apprehended 24 minutes after the threat was received.
Students who witnessed the threat on social media alerted district officials to it. As per the district, Ritenour High School was mentioned in the post.
The children used the Missouri Highway Patrol’s Courage to Report Tipline to notify the administrators and submit a complaint.
According to Superintendent Chris Kilbride, more people should use the tipline because the locals are tired of these occurrences.
“Working with the community and the way this community has shifted, moving away from boosting these threats on social media and then instead getting to points where we can do something about it. These various tip lines. Our community has shifted because our community is tired,” said Kilbride.
Administrators and police were able to identify the offender right away.
After discovering an online danger the previous week, Ritenour High School decided to take precautionary measures by having a virtual learning or alternative mode of instruction (AMI) day.
Threats from Tuesday and last week were unrelated, according to officials.
Students in the district have access to counselling services.
Police are still conducting their investigation.
Furthermore, there is no connection between this threat and the bomb threat that Ladue Horton Watkins High School received. As a precaution, the school cancelled lessons on Tuesday.
