FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

DATE: May 31, 2023

Teen arrested in social media threat against local school

Salem, Ore. — Last night, May 30, 2023, the Salem Police Department received calls from concerned residents regarding a social media message which threatened the safety of the Adam Stephens Middle School campus today, May 31. 

Patrol officers worked with Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) security personnel to implement extra safety precautions on the campus. A notification to the families, faculty, and staff at the school was made by SKPS, and a community notification was published on Salem Police social media channels.

Detectives from the Strategic Investigations Unit worked through the night to identify the origin of the message which professed violence at the school. Detectives were able to determine the source of the message and contacted the residents at the location. They learned that a 14-year-old boy who resided in the home was the individual who posted a graphic with the threat onto the Instagram platform.

The teen was arrested today and lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Department on the charge of disorderly conduct in the first degree. The Salem Police Department does not identify minors involved in criminal investigations. 

No further information about the case is available for release.

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