'School threats are no joke': Law enforcement create video warning El Paso students

School threats are no joke and local law enforcement is making sure El Paso students and parents know the consequences of making any kind of threat to their campuses.

The El Paso District Attorney's Office, along with the FBI El Paso and several El Paso-area school district police departments, produced a video for students that shows the dangers of making school threats — whether as a joke or not.

"Every week, any school district in our community is seeing gun and bomb threats," El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks said. "As we have seen just (Wednesday) in Georgia, we have to take every one of these threats seriously. Our school districts are reacting to these gun and bomb threats very seriously. And as a result, if you make a gun or bomb threat, you will be prosecuted."

Hicks and law enforcement officials announced during a news conference Wednesday, Sept. 4, the creation of a video called "School threats are no joke." The video was created with the help of the El Paso Community College Theatre Club.

More: Law enforcement warn against making false threats to schools, 2 Montwood students arrested

The news conference was held hours after a student fatally shot four people and injured several others Wednesday at a Georgia high school. The students had posted threats against the school online, USA TODAY reported.

"Any distractions, any disruptions of class time that interferes with our children, our students, faculty and staff to be able to come to school, learn and teach and enjoy an environment that is safe, is going to be held accountable," El Paso Independent School District Police Department Chief Manuel Chavira said. "If anybody makes any threats or jokes of a bomb scare or terroristic threat to our campuses, they will be held accountable."

Ysleta Independent School District Police Department Police Chief Eduardo Holguin added: "I also want to iterate that if there's any type of threats made in the Ysleta school district, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

"Students can't learn if they're concerned about threats, if they're worried about what's happening around them. When these threats occur, when we have these lockdowns, it's a big disruption for the class. And we don't need this in our schools."

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Law enforcement also encouraged students to report any threats they see online, even if they think it may be a joke.

"You never know when it's just a joke," Hicks said. "You never know. So it's very important that if you see something, you must say something. Alert campus security. Alert the campus police. Alert the campus administration. If you see it, report it.

"We never want to be in a position of, 'oh everybody in school knew about this coming, but nobody said anything because we figured this was just a joke.' And then the person comes to the school and kills four people and injures 30. We never want to be in that situation.

A school threat, a decade in jail

The video starts with law enforcement officers knocking on the front door of a house with their guns out. The door is opened by a surprised father who officers ordered to put his hands up and ask how many people are in the house.

The officers continue inside the house where they meet a mother who also is ordered to put her hands up. The officers continue until they get to the room of a student who is asleep.

Officers order the student to put his hands up and they arrest him. As they escort the student out of the house, the parents are seen being questioned by an FBI El Paso agent.

The student is taken outside where dozens of law enforcement officers with their patrol vehicles are waiting for the student.

The student's social media post is shown in the video. It includes a photo of the student with a post that states: "I built a BOMB!!! Be prepared to be blown to pieces tomorrow." The post includes emojis of explosions and a bomb.

The video ends by warning students of the consequences of making school threats.

"Think before you post. School threats are no joke," a voice says as the video ends. The video states anyone arrested for making a threat could face up to 10 years in jail.

Consequences of making a threat against a school

The El Paso County Attorney’s Office and law enforcement have received 1.3 referrals per month from January to August for false alarms or reports made by juveniles, El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez said.

There were an average of 1.4 referrals per month between January and December 2023 received by the El Paso County Attorney’s Office and law enforcement, she said.

More: El Paso ISD police investigating social media threat against Chapin High School

The referrals last year compared to this year "indicating that this issue persists," Sanchez said.

Out of the 17 referrals last year to the county attorney's office, 15 resulted in delinquency petitions — legal documents outlining the offense a minor is accused of committing — filed with the juvenile court, Sanchez said.

"When such false reports involve a school, it is classified as a state jail felony," Sanchez said. "These false alarm threats not only cause emotional distress to students, parents, and staff but also divert valuable emergency resources away from real crises."

'Critically important that parents understand'

While the video shows students the consequences of their actions, law enforcement are asking for parents to step up and make sure their children do not post any threats.

"So many parents don't realize what their kids are doing on social media," Hicks said. "And it is so critically important that parents understand what their kids are doing on social media and that parents understand that a bomb threat or a gun threat is no joke. Their child can be prosecuted for a felony. Their high school student can be prosecuted for a felony offense for making what they perceived as just being a joke."

Parents are urged to talk about this serious issue with their children, Sanchez said.

"Our goal is to hold individuals accountable while working to prevent future incidents," Sanchez said. "False alarm threats are a crime and will be prosecuted accordingly. Parents are encouraged to help their children understand the serious nature of these actions and the repercussions they can face."

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Law enforcement warn El Paso students against making school threats