Hilo High student arrested in connection to threat made against Waiākea High student over social media

Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged a 17-year-old male juvenile with terroristic threatening in connection with a reported threat via social media received by a Waiākea High School student in Hilo.

The juvenile was arrested today at his Hilo residence at 1:50 p.m.

“Police take threats of violence very seriously, especially those made towards schools and students,” officials stated in a Hawai‘i Island police press release this afternoon. “After receiving this threat, police conducted a safety sweep of Waiākea High School and maintained a police presence on campus throughout the day.”

Police first received information about the threatening message to the teen on Wednesday evening when officers got a call from a concerned parent.

Officers maintained a police presence at Waiākea High throughout the day.

Detectives were able to identify the social media application utilized to make the threat, which ultimately led to the identity of the responsible juvenile, who is a student at Hilo High School.

At 4:20 p.m., Area I Juvenile Aid Section detectives charged the juvenile with second-degree terroristic threatening.

Police ask anyone who may have information regarding this threat to call the department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or contact Acting Detective Corey Kaneko of the Area I Juvenile Aide Section at 808-961-8843, or via email at corey.kaneko@hawaiicounty.gov.