Burlingame High Senior Threatened Rally, Police Say

A senior and San Mateo resident was arrested by the San Mateo Police Department Monday on suspicion of making terrorist threats regarding a rally scheduled at the school.

At approximately 7 a.m. that morning, the FBI contacted the San Mateo Police Department about a posting online threatening a school rally at a Northern California campus. The posting had been noticed by someone out of state who contacted the authorities, police said.

According to a press release, the FBI determined the person responsible for the post lived in San Mateo. They worked with the San Mateo Police Department, Burlingame Police Department and San Mateo Union High School District to establish that a rally was planned at the school and to identify the suspect as a 17-year-old BHS senior.

Because of the suspect's age, no name has been released, said Sgt. Dave Norris of the San Mateo Police Department.

Police detectives interviewed the suspect at the school, where the subject said the posting was a prank. However, a search warrant was issued for the suspect's San Mateo home, where evidence was taken but no weapon was found.

Norris said the suspect was arrested and booked into Hillcrest Juvenile Hall on a violation of making terrorist threats.

"These types of threats pose a significant potential for danger to the school community and the public, and will be met with zero tolerance to ensure the safety of our youth and our schools," Police Chief Susan Manheimer said in a press release. "We will continue to work with the FBI, school districts and the District Attorney's Office to ensure that anyone who makes threats about causing violence at our schools is apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Back at BHS, classes progressed as normal throughout the rest of the day. 

--Bay City News