Salinas middle school “Snapchat threat” highlights importance of speaking up

A Salinas parent and middle school student are being applauded for taking the proper steps to ensure safety, after they say a violent threat was made toward other students via Snapchat.

Salinas Police tell us they responded to Washington Middle School on Thursday regarding Snapchat messages between multiple students.

Though it was not clear what the messages said, it led school officials to believe there may a threat of violence toward others on campus and they contacted police.

School officials and officers called two students in for questioning and it was later found that the threats were not credible. Police say, (though not a funny one) it was what the students saw as a joke.

“One of the students I guess took a screen shot and put it somewhere where other students could see it and that student saw it and that student did the right thing and notified the parent. The parent did the right thing and notified the school, but when it was all said and done, it was not a perceived threat,” says SPD Assistant Chief Manuel Martinez.

Martinez says even though this incident was a false alarm, this is a prime example of students, parents and staff stepping in to help prevent dangerous situations.

KION has reached out to Washington Middle School for comment on the incident and on whether students were reprimanded, but has not heard back.