An Edina student is in trouble after a Snapchat post made Sunday afternoon — involving a photo of the student holding a BB gun and referencing their middle school — was referred to the Edina Police Department, according to the district's spokeswoman.
"There really wasn't a credible threat," said Susan Brott, the Edina district's spokeswoman. "I don't want to make this a bigger thing than it is."
Police found out about the post after the student's Valley View Middle School peers reported what they saw to their parents, who alerted police.
The post has been removed, Brott said, and the student and family are cooperating with the police and the school.
A punishment won't be determined until the school and police department investigations are complete, Brott said.
The district is using the incident as a learning opportunity, Brott said.
"This was a really poor decision the student made," Brott said. "They sometimes post things without thinking about it."
An e-mail sent Sunday night from Shawn Dudley, Valley View's principal, told parents about a social media safety seminar to be held May 2 by the Edina Police Department, Edina Public Schools and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at the high school's performing arts center.
"We appreciate the swift response of our local law enforcement and have been assured that there is no evidence of any ongoing threat involving the Valley View school community," Dudley's e-mail said. "In this world of ever present social media, it is important that we take the time to remind all of our students to be responsible digital citizens and to follow the example set by these students who notified adults when they felt something was not right."
Erin Adler • 612-673-1781
