BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo teenager has had a Temporary Extreme Risk Order of Protection filed against him, after a picture was posted on Instagram with a caption that read "bro im [sic] gonna shoot this school."
The picture was posted, according to police, on Monday morning.
These TERPOs are commonly referred to as red flag orders. They're often filed against people who are deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.
Buffalo police were notified about the threat by the National Threat Operations Center. They say their investigation determined the school the teenager was referencing was Hutchinson Technical High School, on Elmwood Avenue, in downtown Buffalo.
WATCH: Red flag order filed against Buffalo teenager after Instagram threat
Police say they've interviewed the student, who apologized, explaining he posted the picture because he was not allowed in school due to a lack of vaccinations.
The teenager has not been arrested and is not facing any charges. Police say they did not find any weapons.
In a statement, a Buffalo School District spokesperson says the threat was not credible.
Yesterday afternoon, it was reported that a student allegedly made a threat on social media to harm others at our school. The police have contacted the family of the student as part of their investigation, deemed it a non-credible threat, and are addressing the matter. We encourage parents to use this incident as an opportunity to monitor their child's social media activity and to talk to them about how to use social media responsibly. The school notified parents this morning. While the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and NYS Education Law §2-d prohibit the disclosure of students’ information, the student will be disciplined in accordance with the district’s student code of conduct.
