Eighth graders arrested for fake school shooting threat in Maryland

USA TODAY
Police block off roads near the location of a shooting in Aberdeen, Maryland, in September. Aberdeen police recently completed an investigation related to a school shooting threat at Aberdeen Middle School, determining it was a hoax. Two students have been charged.
Police block off roads near the location of a shooting in Aberdeen, Maryland, in September. Aberdeen police recently completed an investigation related to a school shooting threat at Aberdeen Middle School, determining it was a hoax. Two students have been charged.

Two eighth grade students have been arrested after allegedly spreading a fake school shooting threat at a Maryland middle school.

Earlier this month, a parent contacted Aberdeen Middle School to report seeing a social media post from a student, warning students not to come to classes the next day because another student was allegedly threatening a school shooting, the Aberdeen Police Department said in a statement Friday.

After an investigation, police determined the student in question never made a threat and two eighth grade students were responsible for faking the report. One student was charged with make a false statement to a peace office and the other with disturbing school operations.

False school shooting reports "will not be tolerated," the police department said.

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The students have been referred to Juvenile Services.

The fake threat comes a year after the same middle school went under lockdown after a separate shooting threat that also was found to be a hoax, The Baltimore Sun reports.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eighth graders arrested for fake school shooting threat in Maryland