PHOENIX — A 13-year-old student was arrested by Phoenix police after a threat was made to a Valley school.
Phoenix police say officers were made aware of a potential threat toward Archway Veritas Tuesday night and began investigating.
Officers developed probable cause to arrest a 13-year-old suspect who goes to the school.
Police say they are working with the school and a safety plan is in place.
School officials sent the following note to parents with more information about the incident:
"Dear Veritas Parents,
We learned late last night that a Veritas Prep student received a message via social media from a fellow student that was threatening in nature about Veritas Prep. As a precaution, we engaged the Phoenix Police Department who conducted a full threat assessment with our administrative team.
Police now have in custody the student who was responsible for issuing the threat, and now believe there is no longer a threat to campus. Nevertheless, for peace of mind and an added layer of security, we are going to have police presence on campus for the entire day beginning at 7am. We will continue to confer with law enforcement about prudent security measures throughout the day. Should they suggest any additional steps including a modified lock-down schedule today, February 12, we will certainly keep you updated.
Because student and faculty safety is our top priority, we take such matters very seriously and it is our policy to conduct assessments like these in any situation that is threatening in nature or falls into the questionable category. Furthermore, we would be remiss not to thank the responding law enforcement officers for addressing this issue in a swift and thorough manner. We will continue to keep you posted as we discern any additional steps moving forward. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us directly at HWashburn@veritasprepacademy.org or MJeffries@archwayveritas.org.
Sincerely,
Mary Frances Jeffries, Veritas Archway Headmaster
Heather Washburn, Veritas Prep Headmaster"
