2 Fossil Ridge students receive death threats through Instagram

ST. GEORGE – Social media turned sinister earlier this week when two students at Fossil Ridge Intermediate School reported they had received death threats through Instagram.

“The police still don’t know who the threat was made by,” Washington County School District Superintendent Larry Bergeson said. “It was anonymously posted on Instagram,”

The St. George Police Department is investigating the matter, which Bergeson said involved threats against two specific students. He said Fossil Ridge school administrators and the school resource officer began checking into the matter as soon as they learned of the threats, and the two threatened students and their parents were also contacted.

Bergeson said the messages conveyed death threats toward the two students.

Evidently there was something about a sword being used,” he said.

Bergeson said it is unknown at this point whether the threats were made by students or a community member.

“We don’t know if it was another student at Fossil Ridge – it may or may not be,” he said.

The St. George Police Department has subpoenaed Instagram in an effort to obtain information to identify the owner of the account the threatening messages came from.

Bergeson said as far as he knows, the two threatened students have remained in school. School administrators are watching for any mysterious activity and are on alert, but beyond that, there are no plans for school to be shut down or for any further precautions to be taken at this time.

“Right now, the necessary steps have been taken by the police department,” Bergeson said.

In another day and age, something like this might not have been considered a matter of such serious concern, Bergeson said. But in today’s world, a threat of this nature cannot be taken lightly.

“It’s a little unnerving when something like this happens,” he said. “You have to take it serious.”

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9 Comments

  • annalee October 29, 2014 at 11:22 pm

    What are there names

  • Zonkerb October 29, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    Wow making a death threat. Is that as severe as illegal dancing at Fiesta Fun Center.?

  • gretch October 30, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Larry, it’s seriousLY!! As the school superintendent, please know that things can’t be taken serious or personal, only seriously and personally.

    *slowly shakes head*

  • JOSH DALTON (INCOGNEGRO) October 30, 2014 at 8:25 am

    Here is an idea…Get rid of you lame social media accounts like FB and Instagram. Start posting your feeling and opinions on STG News. If anybody threatens your life on this site then they have to suffer the wrath of the Tribunites. I got your back kids!! Zonkerb is correct there are more important things our Law Enforcement has to focus on. Like the upcoming Spookfiest. There might be dancing.

  • Steve October 30, 2014 at 8:55 am

    ANNALEE, The kids are minors. The school district and law enforcement can’t release their names. Intermediate school students are usually between 11 and 13 years old.

    • JOSH DALTON (INCOGNEGRO) October 30, 2014 at 3:27 pm

      Just by the looks of you I already made a call to my boy Chris Hanson at Dateline NBC. You know way to much about pre-teens. GO FALCONS!

  • Caught October 30, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    @Steve-duh, can’t you see Annalee is BUSTED! She was sent the messages.

  • Billy October 31, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    Why was this news article written? This is not news. Publishing such things only promotes “copycats” and gives attention to those doing it.

    But knowing St. George news’s usual quality I am not surprised.

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