Two teens arrested in connection with school violence threats in Garden City

Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with reported threats of violence against Garden City High School students.

The Garden City Police Department announced late Tuesday afternoon that a 16-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were booked into the Southwest Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

The girl was booked on suspicion of nine counts of criminal threat and one count each of identity theft and making a false statement in connection with the original threat made on Snapchat last Thursday, police said.

She could face additional charges for another Snapchat message two days later.

The boy was arrested on suspicion of creating fake Snapchat accounts to send defamatory messages to other students at the school, police said.

“These alleged defamatory messages along with other disconcerting activities were the cause of the initial threat being issued,” Garden City Police Capt. Randy Ralston said in a statement about the arrests.

“There was never an actual plan to carry out the original threat and students were not in danger from this incident,” he added.

The cases have been referred to the Finney County Attorney’s Office.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Two teens arrested in connection with school violence threats in Garden City."