Student Charged With Threatening Gay/Straight Club Members

SEVERNA PARK, MD — A Severna Park High School student has been charged by police for threatening violence against the school’s Gay/Straight Alliance Club members.

The school resource officer assigned to the building was told that on Monday, students from the school were getting names for an activity sponsored by the Gay/Straight Alliance Club. A 17-year-old student from Severna Park reportedly began harassing the club members getting signatures and he made comments degrading gays and lesbians.

Police say some members of the student club found his comments offensive and confronted the suspect. At that point, police say the teen made additional derogatory/racial slurs to a girl who responded to him.

Students who participated in the GSA-sponsored activity were given ribbons to wear to show their support. The teen suspect reportedly said that by choosing to wear the ribbons, the participants were “putting a target on their back.”

Reports of the encounter later reached the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s school resource officer assigned to the high school.

The male student who allegedly made the threatening remarks was identified, police say, and he and his parents were interviewed by officers. Authorities determined the suspect had no access to firearms.

The Department of Juveniles Services was contacted and the suspect was charged with making threats of mass violence and was released to his parents.