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Second teen arrested for threat against Ryle High School

385 views · Published 17 December 2018 · 2:15 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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UNION, Ky. (WKRC) - The Boone County Sheriff's Office said a 15-year-old boy has also been taken into custody in connection to a threatening social media threat directed toward Ryle High School.  A 17-year-old boy is already charged with terroristic threatening. That teen told investigators it was in response to being picked on.

With the second suspect was being interviewed by deputies, rumors of a second threat spread Monday afternoon.  Several parents came to take their children home early. 

Barbara Brady with Boone County Schools released a statement:

The Boone County Sheriff’s department has informed us there are investigating another student in connection to the earlier threat by a student from this morning. Neither student was at Ryle High today. The threats were sent through social media. School is not being dismissed early. Authorities are on the campus ensuring it is safe for students to remain at school this afternoon. That is all we know at this time.
Ryle principal Matt Turner said it started when a threatening statement was posted on social media regarding the students at Ryle at about 10 p.m. on Sunday. "Earlier this evening a threatening statement was posted on social media regarding students at Ryle. We immediately began to investigate this issue with the help of our School Resource Officer. The source of the threatening post was taken into custody by the Boone County Sheriff's Department early this morning."

The sheriff's office said the threat referred to a possible shooting incident. The picture showed what appeared to be a male holding a gun with a flag emoji covering the face. The threat stated in part "If ryle {sic} kids continue to pursue me, you will be capped..."

Turner and deputies say they began investigating immediately. They were able to quickly identify the 17-year-old. Deputies say he admitted to posting the threat but the picture of the male holding the gun was an internet image he found. He allegedly said he used it to make other students think it was him holding the gun.

Deputies say the teen posted the threat because he'd been picked on by Ryle students. He thought he was going to fight another student after school who possibly had a knife.

During the school day Tuesday, the 15-year-old became upset about the threat involving 17-year-old. The 15-year-old was at home but communicating with a student who was at school. He allegedly told the student that he was upset that people wouldn't keep quiet abut the 17-year-old and he threatened to shoot those who can't "keep their mouths shut".  

The student immediately reported it. Deputies went to the 15-year-old boy's home, where they say he confessed. Deputies did not find any firearms in the possession of the 15-year-old. He is also charged with terroristic threatening. 

The sheriff's office said the 15-year-old does not have any known affiliation with the 17-year-old.  Both teens are at the Campbell County Juvenile Detention Center.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call the school office at 859-384-5300 or use the anonymous safety hotline at 1-855-4ALERT1, ext. 1009.

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