Santa Monica Students Return To Campus; Other Schools See Threats

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica High School students returned to school Tuesday after a student was removed from campus Monday for posting a "threatening photo" on Snapchat.

The district became aware of the Snapchat post Monday morning, Samohi Principal Antonio Shelton said. Santa Monica police met with the student and the student's parents and searched the student's residence and car Monday.

Police found no weapons in the students' home, Superintendent Ben Drati said. Police decided the student was not a threat to the school community and school continued Monday.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to similar incidents at Palisades Charter High School, Alexander Hamilton High School and Fairfax High School Monday, police said.

All of the reported threats were deemed not to be credible, police said. The Samohi incident was determined to be unrelated to the other incidents, Drati said.

There was also talk of a threat made to St. Monica Catholic High School, but the Santa Monica Police Department determined the perceived threat involved a school in Northern California by the same name, Drati said.

Even so, St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica cancelled in-person instruction

"We understand that students and parents were fearful today, and we cannot emphasize enough how student and staff health and safety are our top priorities. We were confident that school was safe today or we would not have kept school open," Drati said.