Students, parents on edge after threats made to Riverside High School

Jas Kang
·2 min read

Tensions are high at a Riverside High School after social media posts threatening violence on the campus were made last week.

Parents of Riverside Polytechnic High School students were on edge Monday, with some electing to keep their children at home and miss classes.

“My daughter is not in school today either,” Yvette Bernklau said to KTLA 5’s Shelby Nelson. “I’m just turning in a form for her.” Bernklau is still unsure of when she will bring her daughter back to school.

There was a heightened police presence on the campus Monday, a result of multiple physical altercations that took place at the school late last week.

“We had a small handful of fights on Thursday,” Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department said. “Then some spill over the next day as well.”

Authorities say the threatening posts were made online following the fights. One shows a gun in a bathroom with the question, “who going to school tomorrow?”

  • A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
    A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
  • A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
    A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
  • A post to social media shows threats made to students at a Riverside High School. Authorities have not been able to identify the person in the picture on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
    A post to social media shows threats made to students at a Riverside High School. Authorities have not been able to identify the person in the picture on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
  • There was an increased police presence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (KTLA)
    There was an increased police presence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (KTLA)
  • A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)
    A screenshot of a post on social media shows guns and a caption threatening violence at Riverside Polytechnic High School on March 4, 2024. (Riverside PD)

Riverside Police were not able to confirm who created the posts and sent them out.

“We don’t know if it’s A.I. created that shows someone holding a gun,” Railsback said. “We don’t recognize a person.”

School officials are taking the threat seriously and changing some lunchtime activities to prevent more altercations or disruptions. They are also cooperating with local law enforcement and providing additional support at the school this week.

The school’s principal has been in regular communication with parents since the fights broke out last week. Students at the school had their schedules altered, including two different lunch periods to improve supervision.

Still, parents are concerned for the safety of their children. One father pulled his to freshman sons from school during fifth period. One of the students said it wasn’t worth going to class on Monday, with so many of his peers not on campus.

“It was just boring, six kids were in my class,” the student said. “I’m like what’s the point of even going today?”

Riverside Police says the students that were involved in the fights last week will be facing criminal charges.

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