Firearms seized following Maclean High School social media threat

Guns belonging to parents seized after Snapchat comments spark police investigation.

Police have seized the registered firearms belonging to the parents of a boy who allegedly made threats against Maclean High School.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said the school advised police of a threat made to the school on Tuesday.

Grafton Police Station officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Jo Reid said the call to police came following commentary on Snapchat about using guns at school.

“Police have been working with the school to identify the people involved,” she said.

“While the threats were determined to be not credible, as a precaution, firearms have been seized belonging to the parents of one of the young people involved.”

The Department of Education spokesman said that the person who made the threat was not a student of the school; however, appropriate disciplinary action had been taken against an enrolled student who had been in contact with that person.

They said the school required no lockdown based on the police action and the nature of the threat.

Chief Inspector Reid said that they had deemed the threat to be idle and wished to allay any fears in the community over the incident.

“We are working with the school in relation to education and awareness around appropriate use of social media,” she said.

“The young people involved have been dealt with under the young offenders act.”