7 Arrests Made In Connection With School Gun Violence Threats: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT —Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 16, nine New Haven Public Schools were forced to lock down, and in some cases close for the day, as a result of threats of gun violence that appeared on social media, police said.

A total of 19 threats were made in that two-week period, according to New Haven Police Chief Renee Domínguez, with nine of those made on Dec. 6 alone.

An investigation into each led to a total of seven arrests, Domínguez said, adding there are currently two outstanding warrants for the arrests of individuals police determined to be behind the threats seen on Instagram, Snapchat and other social.

On Dec. 6, a 17-year-old Wilbur Cross High School girl was charged with felony breach of peace. Domínguez said the girl "admitted" to having "fabricated" her 911 call reporting a person with a gun was trying to get into the school — which led to a lockdown.

Domínguez said at the time that a juvenile from another unnamed state was found by New Haven police investigators to be behind a number of Instagram gun violence threats toward several New Haven schools that day. James Hillhouse High School was among them and was also put on lockdown that day.

The next day, Dec. 7, a 13-year-old Conte West Hills School student was arrested for making a threat against his school.

Domínguez said that investigators' “quick action” has slowed the threats.

“The kids who are doing it saw we were taking it seriously,” Domínguez said Wednesday. “We can’t have this type of behavior closing schools, traumatizing kids and teachers.”