By  BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A St. Joseph high school student was arrested by Country Club Village police today on suspicion that he posted threats of violence on social media, causing seven area schools to post extra police officers and go into what is called a “soft” lock down.

St. Joseph Police Sergeant James Langston says six St. Joseph public schools as well as the Savannah High School went into a soft lock down as a precautionary measure after the department deemed a threat made over social media credible. He says the Computer Crimes Unit tracked the suspect down to Country Club Village.

“Once we identified and located the adult student suspect, he was taken into custody by the Country Club Village Police Department and was transported to the Andrew County jail, pending charges,” Langston tells St. Joseph Post.

Langston says he could face some serious charges.

“Terroristic threats is a charge that we believe this fits and assault could be, but I believe that he was booked in for investigation at this point of making terroristic threats,” Langston says.

All three St. Joseph public high schools posted extra security:  Benton, Central, and Lafayette High Schools as well as Savannah High School. Threats also prompted similar action at Bode and Truman Middle Schools in St. Joseph. Mark Twain Elementary School also went into soft lock down after police found the threat credible.

Langston declines to describe the threat.

“All I can say at this point and feel comfortable discussing is that it was a threat to commit violence at several schools within the school district and Savannah,” Langston says.

It did not go beyond a threat. No student not staff were injured.