BEAVER DAM – A 9-year-old boy was arrested after threatening to shoot up his elementary school in the north Mohave County community of Beaver Dam. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) began investigating Tuesday, April 16 after learning a juvenile posted the threat to social media.

MCSO spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said deputies identified and questioned the responsible party. She said the boy admitted posting the threat, but explained he did so on a dare by another youth and asserted he had no intention of harming anyone.

“Although this threat appears to be an isolated incident, additional security measures and law enforcement presence were scheduled for area schools,” Mortensen said. “The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office takes a zero-tolerance stance toward any person that makes a threat towards our schools or the disruption of an educational institution.

Mortensen said the boy was booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in Kingman on a charge of making a terrorist threat.

Dave Hawkins