Although text messaging as a form of communicating gets a bad rap in today’s society, it may very well have saved many lives at Mountain Vista High School near Denver, CO.
According to The Denver Channel, police officers took two female 16 year old students into custody after receiving an anonymous tip through the school district’s “Text-a-Tip” program. They are holding the young women on a charge of conspiracy of planning to commit first-degree murder. The girls had planned to commit the mass killing this week but with the help of the texting hotline as well as the quick reaction of the Sheriff’s Office, the tragedy was prevented.
The incident was briefly described in a YouTube video released by Sheriff Tony Spurlock. Sheriff Spurlock gave very few details because the investigation is still ongoing but did go as far as to say,
“The Douglas County Sheriff Office takes these threats very seriously. We will move immediately upon those and we will take action to apprehend the individuals who make threats against the students and faculty of the Douglas County Schools.”
After the incident, the school’s principal Michael Weaver sent a letter to parents:
“The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) has investigated and confirmed a credible threat to MVHS from two female, MVHS students who planned to cause harm to our staff and students at MVHS this week. According to DCSO, these two students have been apprehended and face serious felony charges including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
“I want you to know that many of the safety systems we have in place worked well. Through our partnerships with law enforcement and our families, this threat was successfully disrupted.”
The two female students face serious felony charges, which could land them in prison for a very long time. This news came as a shock to many parents and students in the Highlands Ranch area, a suburb of Denver. The investigation is still ongoing but adds into the greater dialogue about the violent atmosphere our country faces today.
Featured image credit GraphicStock.
