Student, 13, Threatens To 'Shoot The School,' Mentions Texas: Police

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — Another student on the East End made a "violent threat", saying he was going to "shoot the school" in Westhampton Beach Thursday, police said.

This time, a 13-year-old student at the Westhampton Beach Middle School on Mill Road told other students and school officials that he was annoyed and frustrated with other students, police said. He made reference to the recent Uvalde, Texas shooting, and also said he was being picked on — and this was the only way to solve the problem, Westhampton Beach Village Police said.

The incident was reported by school officials to the Westhampton Beach Police school resource officer and then investigated by the criminal investigations unit and Southampton Town police detectives, police said. He was arrested at 1:30 p.m. and charged with making a terroristic threat and aggravated harassment, police said.

It is anticipated he will appear in family court at a later date, police said.

Although there are no other specified threats, Westhampton Beach Police will have increased presence in the school district and have been in constant communication with the school administration, police said.

With the Texas shooting devastating the nation, experts say threats are heightened. "It's copycat time right now," Chip Bancroft, ex-Westhampton Beach Fire Department Chief and owner of Firehouse Training Plus, which conducts mass casualty incident trainings, including one slated for Greenport Saturday, said. "Look out."

On Wednesday, a 15-year-old student was arrested after he threatened to "shoot up the school" in Riverhead, police said.

Also this week, an 18-year-old was charged with making a terroristic threat after making threats against Westbury High School, police said. Another threat was made against a Uniondale middle school Wednesday night, police said.

Anyone with more information on the incident is asked to call Westhampton Beach Police at 631-702-1569.