A 13-year-old male Lockport student has been charged by Lockport police in connection with a school threat toward Aaron Mossell Junior High School.
The teen was arrested on Dec. 20 and charged with making a threat of mass harm.
According to a press release from the Lockport Police Department, the reported threats were posted on a social media platform on Dec. 7. The post indicated that the student had a firearm but Lockport Chief Steven Abbott said no such weapon was found. The threat was investigated without impacting classes at the school.
What can be taken away from this, according to Abbott is there are “consequences to your actions.”
“You think you’re not going to get charged on it, you will be charged on it. You think your age will matter, it won’t matter. You think you won’t get caught, think again,” he said.
Abbott said 2024 saw far fewer school-related threats in Lockport than the previous year, largely because of the response of local, state and even national law enforcement.
In 2023, Abbott said that “swatting attacks” or false reports made to draw a response of heavily armed tactical police units, known as S.W.A.T. teams, brought about significantly more investigations than threats in 2024. Investigation by the FBI and ultimately the creation of a national database for such attacks followed dozens of such threats across New York state, including Lockport.
Abbott said that he believed that by taking such incidents seriously, potential swatters and other individuals who make these threats are being curtailed.
“The lesson is starting to get out there,” he said.
Abbott said that the student of this threat was found at his home and the matter has gone on to New York State Family Court. The case is still pending, but according to the press release, the student received a juvenile appearance ticket.