Riverside High School Girl Suspected of Threatening Classmates

A Riverside high school girl who allegedly posted pictures on social media showing guns and saying she might use them was in custody Thursday.

The 15-year-old Ramona High School student, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested and booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall Wednesday on suspicion of making criminal threats.

Riverside police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback said that a campus resource officer was alerted by Ramona High administrators that the student was involved in an Instagram chat during which she allegedly circulated photos of firearms.

"(She) made statements suggesting violence against her classmates," Railsback said.

He said the pictures were "re-circulated from a social media post that originally threatened school violence in another state."

Sufficient evidence was amassed to obtain a warrant to search her family home, where it was "determined she does not have access to firearms," the police spokesman said.

Railsback said a "School Threat Assessment & Response" protocol was followed to verify there was no imminent danger to students or staff at Ramona High.

He said all threats, regardless of their origin, are taken seriously.

It was the second time this week that Riverside police investigated online threats involving grade school children. On Tuesday, a 13-year-old Chemawa Middle School girl was booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall after implying she intended to perpetrate a shooting.