UDPATE: 3 minors charged with ‘threat of terrorism’

By Kate Hayden, khayden@charlescitypress.com

WEDNESDAY, 8:40 a.m.: All three minors taken into police custody were students of the Charles City school district, Charles City Police Chief Hugh Anderson confirmed Wednesday morning.

“At this time the investigation is still ongoing, but we feel that we will probably not have further charges on other students,” Anderson said.

The two 14-year-old students were taken into custody on late Tuesday afternoon, Anderson said. One of the students was also charged with interference with official acts, a misdemeanor. Anderson said he could not comment on the content of the social media posts in question.

The Charles City Police Department visits the middle school/high school campus daily as part of it’s regular duties, Anderson said.

“Just as a police presence for the safety of the students and to reassure parents we are taking the safety of their students seriously,” he said.

TUESDAY: Three minors have been charged with threat of terrorism after the Charles City Police Department arrested two more minors Tuesday during the investigation of threatening social media posts last week.

A 14-year-old female and 14-year-old male were taken into custody on Tuesday and turned over to juvenile authorities, the department said in a Facebook post. A 15-year-old male was taken into custody last Wednesday after police were called to the Charles City Middle School by school administrators.

The threat of terrorism charge is a class-D felony, the police department noted on Facebook.

The investigation began last Wednesday after a mother reported seeing an inappropriate social media message involving a middle school student on her child’s cell phone.

The Charles City Community School District released a statement on the announcement Tuesday night:

“The Charles City Police Department and the Charles City Community School District continue to cooperate in the investigation of an incident last week regarding inappropriate social media posts.

“The Charles City Community School District takes social media posts seriously and digital citizenship is a critical skill that should be undertaken with forethought. Words have consequences and law enforcement today issued consequences for three individuals who made poor choices last week.

“We emphasize, our cooperation with local law enforcement ensures student safety is our top priority.”

The police department made the announcement on it’s Facebook page on Tuesday at about 5:20 p.m. No officers were available to comment until Wednesday, a department staff member told the Press.