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Juvenile arrested in Farmington after threat to high school

San Juan County 11th Judicial District Court, adjacent to Juvenile Detention Center. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)
Youth is in custody at the San Juan Juvenile Detention Center

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe announced Tuesday in a news release that a 17-year-old boy from Arizona was arrested Monday on charges of making “bomb scares and shooting threats” targeting Farmington High School.

The youth, from Arizona, was arrested at his mother’s home in Farmington and taken to the San Juan Juvenile Detention Center. The youth is not enrolled at the school.

The threat, posted on Instagram, pictured what appeared to be a box of .22-caliber ammunition and stated, “Don’t come to school on Tuesday. Gotta surprise for all the teachers.”

According to the news release, the boy was being home-schooled in Arizona and was visiting the area. During its investigation, the Farmington Police Department learned that similar threats were being investigated by the Gallup Police Department and coordinated its investigation with Gallup’s.

The entrance to San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)

No viable threat or weapons were found during the arrest, but FPD said it takes all threats of violence “very seriously and thoroughly investigates” each one. “Making a threat of any kind, whether in person or online, has serious consequences,” the news release said.

A separate threat to Hermosa Middle School remained under investigation on Tuesday. The threat, made on Snapchat, said, “Watch out, Hermosa” and pictured a handgun on a black bandanna. As a result, police patrols were increased at the middle school.