Burbank Police Department detectives worked quickly to identify and take into custody a 14-year-old student from Luther Middle School who had made a threat against the school in a phone message.
Sgt. Steven Turner said “Last night, the Burbank Police Department was made aware of a conversation via phone messaging that contained a threat to Luther Burbank Middle School. Burbank Police officers and detectives immediately initiated an investigation and subsequently identified the person responsible for the message.”
He said that after the student was taken into custody, he was later cited for criminal threats following Juvenile Justice procedures and then released back to his parents. He also said the parents were cooperative with the detectives, and there were no firearms found.
Luther Principal Steven Hubbell also took an immediate proactive step, sending out an email to all parents at 6:50 a.m. letting them know of the situation and that there is no current threat.
“Last night the Burbank Police Department (BPD) received a call that there was a potential threat to Luther Burbank Middle School posted in a group chat. The police investigated last night and arrested the student. This student will not be at school today.
His email continued, “The school is safe, and there is no threat to students and staff. We wish to thank BPD for their assistance. We take all alleged threats very seriously. If you ever hear or see something concerning, please contact school administrators or law enforcement.”
Burbank Police Department and Luther Burbank Middle School will be working together to discipline the student involved. If there is an urgent concern outside of school hours, you can also call law enforcement. The non-emergency phone number for BPD is (818) 238-3000.
The Burbank Police Department was notified by a Luther Burbank family after seeing the post. We would like to thank this family for being proactive and notifying the authorities immediately.”
We asked the Burbank Unified School District administration for comment, and they referred us back to Hubbell’s email without further comment.
Turner also said that the Burbank Police Department takes any threats very seriously.
“The Burbank Police Department has zero tolerance when it comes to school threats. False threats, hoaxes, or jokes can cause significant fear and anxiety amongst students and the community. All incidents involving school violence, or threats of school violence, will be investigated, and those responsible held accountable. The Burbank Police Department reminds students and parents to immediately report anything suspicious to school officials or the police.”