DA TIERNEY: ZERO TOLERANCE BELLPORT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ARRESTED AND ARRAIGNED FOR MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the arrest and arraignment of a 16-year-old Bellport High school student for creating an online post threatening a massive shooting at the school.

“We take these threats seriously and will devote our resources to ensuring the safety of our children. I thank Suffolk police for their swift action here. Upon learning of this threat, they worked with my office to locate and interview the individual responsible for the threat.  In addition, they searched and determined that there were no guns in the home,” said Tierney. “I am convening a School Safety Summit here in Suffolk County with parents, teachers, school officials, law enforcement and my office to work on improving our response to school safety threats and keeping our kids safe.” 

The teen is charged with Making a Terroristic Threat, a class D felony and Second Degree Aggravated Harassment, a class A misdemeanor.  

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the defendant, whose identity is being withheld because he is a minor, allegedly created a post on his “Bellport Scholars” Instagram page that there could be a massive shooting at the school on Thursday.

He was arrested on Thursday, May 26 and arraigned today before Judge Karen Kerr in Suffolk County Youth Part and placed on Supervised Release Probation with GPS and a 9 p.m. curfew.  The Judge also ordered the teen is only allowed home and office visits; no social media; and he will have to submit to alcohol and drug testing.

He is being represented by Legal Aid and is due back in court on May 31.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Veronica McMahon of the Major Crimes Bureau.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

William J. Lindsay County Complex • Building 77 • 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788

(631) 853-4169 | SuffolkCountyNY.gov/DA