A possible Northern California high school shooting was prevented thanks to a report sent into a tip line created by a nonprofit group that aims to prevent gun violence, the organization said.
Sandy Hook Promise said in a statement Monday that the Sequoia Union High School District was able to stop the potential school shooting after a student reported that a classmate was exhibiting warning signs on Instagram. The student then sent that information to the organization's "Say Something" anonymous reporting tip line.
"This set off a swift chain of events that ultimately saved lives," the Sandy Hook Promise statement said.
The threat was made against Menlo-Atherton High School in San Mateo County by a former student who is now enrolled in another area high school, Atherton Police Cmdr. Dan Larsen said in a statement on Sept. 10, the day the threat was reported.
According to the report, the suspect posted "detailed threats" on a social media account about carrying out a school shooting within the district, Sandy Hook Promise said. The suspect's posts included pictures of ammunition and a "mapped-out plan for attacking the school."
After the tip was reported, Sandy Hook Promise notified local police. Larsen said that at that point, Menlo-Atherton High School was placed under a "secure campus" order while officers checked on the safety of students and staff members. The Laurel School, located nearby, was also placed under a "secure campus" order as a precaution.
Police found and detained the former student — a juvenile — responsible for making the threats, Larsen said. The student was interviewed by police and placed on psychiatric hold.
The investigation continues, Larsen said.
Clarifying Sandy Hook Promise's statement, Larsen said in a release Tuesday that no weapon was recovered from the student or the student's home. He also said that the student's social media post included a photo of ammunition magazines and that there were no photographed firearms in the post, despite Sandy Hook Promise's statement otherwise Monday.
The Sequoia Union High School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment and additional information, including the school where the threat was made.
Jarrett Dooley, executive director of student services at the Sequoia Union High School District, said in the statement that the district is a proud partner of "Say Something."
"We are grateful that the anonymous student tip resulted in swift action by local law enforcement and school administrators to keep all students, staff, and community members safe," Dooley said.
The planned shooting in California is the 19th instance in which Sandy Hook Promise programs have helped thwart attacks since its inception in 2018, it said.
"All of those 19 communities were saved from the trauma of a school shooting because of the brave actions of upstanders that chose to say something," the statement said.
For Nicole Hockley, a co-founder and the CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, the issue of school shootings is personal — her son, Dylan, was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.
"Because of the courageous actions of one student — a single voice speaking up — this community was spared unimaginable heartbreak," Hockley said, according to the statement. "Sometimes we receive hundreds of tips about a potential threat. Other times, as we saw in California during this incident, it just takes one. At a time where many feel powerless against gun violence, this student's bravery proves that each of us has the ability to make a difference."
