PikeView student arrested for making terrorist threats

Samantha Perry, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·2 min read

May 27—PRINCETON — A PikeView High School student was arrested Thursday after posting pictures to social media showing other students with crosshairs on their heads, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph.

Amiliyon Urell Barnes, 18, is charged with making terrorist threats, a criminal complaint filed by Trooper First Class K.A. Filer, with the West Virginia State Police, states.

The incident spurred a lockdown at the school Thursday morning after 11 a.m., which was lifted shortly thereafter at 11:23 a.m.

Filer said he responded to the school after receiving a report of a student making threats.

Upon arrival, he met with the school's resource officer, retired State Police Sgt. Melissa Clemons, who showed Filer a video taken from the Snapchat Story of Barnes.

The video was a compilation of pictures of multiple students taken inside the school, according to Filer's complaint.

"On these pictures of students, their heads were circled in red with crosshairs painted across them, along with the word 'dead,' " Filer stated. "The accused had explained to PikeView High School Principal Anna Lilly that this was a 'TikTok trend' and 'just a game.' "

The court document states the video was posted to Barnes' Snapchat account, which was visible to anyone who had access to that account.

"This video was seen by multiple students at PikeView High School and posted to other social media websites," Filer said in his complaint.

Filer seized Barnes' phone, according to the court document, and submitted a preservation order for the Snapchat account the teen used.

Following his arrest, Barnes was taken to the State Police Princeton detachment for processing. He was later arraigned before Mercer County Magistrate Mike Crowder.

Bond was set at $20,000, with a requirement for home confinement if bond is posted.

Making a terrorist threat is a felony charge punishable by a fine of $5,000 to $25,000 or one to three years in prison.

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com.