By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — The student accused of making online threats against fellow students at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School has been arrested, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said in a statement.
“On June 9, 2022, sheriff’s investigators arrested a 15-year-old student after another student came forward with allegations that the aforementioned student had posted on social media a ‘murder list,'”, Apple said.
The list allegedly contained the names of 10 students at the high school.
The unidentified student has been charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, a class D felony, and one count of aggravated threat of mass harm, a class A misdemeanor.
The school district notified parents about the alleged threat in a statement Thursday by District Superintendent Dr. Brian Bailey on the district’s website.
“This threat was shared over social media and included a threat of harm to a specific list of students,” Bailey said Thursday prior to the arrest. “The Albany County Sheriff’s Office is actively involved, has continued investigating and is taking proper action.”
The name of the student accused of making the threat, and the names of the 10 students identified in the social media post, have not been identified.
All families involved were contacted by the district, according to Bailey.
Bailey said the sheriff’s office has a “constant presence” in all district schools, including school resource officers and through regular patrols of the campus and community. Other safety precautions are also in place, Bailey said.
“In addition, all RCS schools have secure entrances, exterior doors are locked, and students and staff perform training and safety drills throughout the year,” he said.
The high school activated its crisis response team in response to the alleged online threat to discuss ways to support students and staff, according to the statement.
“Our social workers, psychologists and counselors are available for any student or staff members who need someone to speak with,” Bailey said.
He also urged students and the community to report any threats or suspicious activity to a trusted adult, administration or law enforcement.
