Gun drawn on bathroom stall, Snapchat causes school district to cancel in-person classes Monday

Students at many schools in the Box Elder School District were held online Monday as police investigated several potential threats made against some schools in the district. | John Wilson, KSL-TV

Students at many schools in the Box Elder School District were held online Monday as police investigated several potential threats made against some schools in the district.

On Friday, police were notified that an unidentified student had drawn a picture of a gun along with the date "12/13/21" in a bathroom stall at a school in the district, said Tremonton Garland Police Sgt. Brian Crockett. He did not say which school.

Detectives and school resource officers began investigating and conducted search warrants at the homes of some students they believed might have been involved.

Then on Sunday, police received additional tips about a Snapchat message with a gun sent by a student, and another photo talking about an explosion. Due to those potential threats, some schools did not hold classes in person on Monday, Crockett said. Earlier, the district had planned to hold classes in person as usual but provide extra police presence at the schools.

In one of the messages, someone had taken another person's photo and added a caption to make them look like they're a suspect in the threat, according to the sergeant.

Crockett called the Snapchat messages "an ill-timed and horrible attempt at humor" that inconvenienced more than 1,000 students and their families.

There could be criminal charges against the student involved, he said.

The student who drew the gun and date in the school bathroom has not yet been identified. The district is taking precautions, Crockett said.

Schools in the north end of the district were affected, including all elementary schools, Harris Intermediate School, Bear River Middle School and Bear River High School, according to a Facebook post from the school district.

The district asked students to check communication from the school for teachers' instructions.

"We are taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our students and staff," the post said. "Police are still investigating and will continue to vet any and all alleged threats. Contact the police if you have any direct information."

6AM: Box Elder School District moves some classes online due to potential threats

6AM: Box Elder School District moves some classes online due to potential threats