Social media threat leads to lockdown, arrest at Arkport Central School. What we know

Neal Simon, Hornell Evening Tribune
Updated ·2 min read

A social media post led to a lockdown and the felony arrest of 13-year-old student at Arkport Central School Thursday afternoon.

Arkport Superintendent Jesse Harper said the district was alerted to a possible threat to the school, prompting a call to law enforcement and a lockdown late in the school day.

Wayland-based New York State Police said they responded to the Arkport campus shortly after 2:30 p.m. following "a report of a threat via social media."

Troopers said a male suspect was taken into custody without incident and charged with making a terrorist threat, a class-D felony.

Officials said the minor was released after processing and the case was referred to Family Court. An appearance ticket was issued for Steuben County Probation.

The law enforcement presence at the school also included the Canisteo Police Department and the Steuben County Sheriff's Office.

How Arkport school responded to report of threat

Harper said the school followed "established safety protocols" during the incident. No active threat was found.

The school remained in lockdown until shortly after 4 p.m., when it was put in a hold-in-place. It remained in a hold-in-place until all students left the building, the district said. The building was cleared at about 5:45 p.m.

"The Arkport Central School District takes any threat seriously; providing a safe learning environment for the entire ACS community is always our top priority," Harper said in a statement.

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Harper thanked law enforcement for a "prompt and thorough" investigation and he commended students and staff for their cooperation and composure during the incident.

Harper said school counselors are available to provide support to students and staff members.

"Entering a lockdown can be unnerving and may cause stress and anxiety for students, families and staff," he said.

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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Student charged with making terrorist threat at Arkport Central School