FBI alerted to Rochester middle schooler's Snapchat post
A local middle school student caught the attention of the FBI this week for a post she made to social media.
Early Monday morning, the local FBI office contacted the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office about a photo posted to the messaging service Snapchat. The image, which was intercepted by Snapchat's law enforcement assistance personnel, showed a girl holding a handgun with the caption, "don't come to school tomorrow."
The Snapchat account was traced to a minor who resides in Marion Township and is a student at Willow Creek Middle School in Rochester. After meeting with the girl, investigators determined that the handgun in the photo is a toy and "that there was no threat to any students or staff of Willow Creek Middle School."
"Due to the information learned in the initial investigation, the Sheriff’s Office saw no reason to take the juvenile female into custody," said Olmsted County Capt. Scott Behrns.
Investigators are now attempting to determine whether "a crime even occurred," added Behrns. He noted that no one who viewed the photo ever contacted law enforcement to report it as a threat.
"As with any incident that brings the potential to harm to our students, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police Department will investigate those incidents in a rapid fashion to ensure the safety of our children," said Behrns.
