By Gina Yarbrough
Spring Valley, CA–A juvenile was arrested on suspicion of threatening another student and bringing a replica firearm, specifically a BB gun, to a magnet school in East County, authorities said.
The incident occurred on Monday, shortly before 2:30 p.m. when the Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call reporting a threat at STEAM Academy on Leland Street in Spring Valley.
Deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the campus.
School officials informed deputies that they had identified the student involved and sent the juvenile to the school office. Out of caution, school administrators and deputies placed the campus on “secure campus” status just before 3 p.m. This measure involves keeping students and staff indoors while allowing classroom activities to continue behind locked doors.
Additional deputies, including Explosives Detection K-9 units from the Lemon Grove and Imperial Beach Sheriff’s Substations, were called in to assist with a room-by-room search of the school. During the search, deputies discovered the replica BB gun. The secure campus status was lifted around 5 p.m., after which students were released to their parents.
The student was arrested and booked into Juvenile Hall on charges of making criminal threats and displaying a replica firearm in a public space. Due to the Sheriff’s Office policy, no further details about the juvenile will be released.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and the safety of students remains a top priority.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages students to report any threats or concerns to School Resource Deputies or anonymously through the Student Speaking Out Hotline at (888) 580-8477.
