Local law enforcement and school officials have been kept busy responding to viral Tik Tok posts that were warning of school shootings on Friday, Sept. 13.

While the threats of the shootings were found to be not credible, it didn’t mean that there hasn’t been a local impact. The Newman Police Department has taken one suspect into custody for making the online threat and both the Newman Crows Landing Unified School District and the Gustine Unified School District reported a significant drop in attendance on Friday.

“It has had a big time impact,” said NCLUSD Superintendent Justin Pruett. “Attendance today is below 50 percent.” Pruett said the majority of the absentees were from Yolo and Orestimba High.

“It has been very disruptive to our students’ education,” said GUSD Superintendent Bryan Ballenger. “We had approximately 45 percent of our students out because of these false social media posts.”

The false social media posts appear to have originated on Tik Tok and have been spreading across the country.

In one that has spread on local online community forums, the post stated: “This Friday, there will be a shooting at Patterson, Gustine and Newman between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the following schools: Apricot Valley Elementary, Las Palmas Elementary School, Northmead Elementary School, Creekside Middle School, Patterson High School, Hurd Barrington Elementary, Von Renner Elementary School, Hunt Elementary, Yolo Middle School, Orestimba High School, Gustine Elementary School and Gustine High. You are receiving this message as a warning.”

Both the Newman and Gustine Police departments were made aware of the threats and took action. On Friday, the Newman Police Department announced they had made an arrest in the case. The juvenile is facing charges of making threats of death or causing great bodily injury to an individual and making threats of death or causing great bodily injury to a public employee.

“We have, and will continue to have, zero tolerance for threats such as these which instill fear in our community, and we will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,” the Newman Police Department said.

NPD also advised the incident is a good reminder for parents to keep a close tab on their children’s social media use.

“Parents, you are encouraged to use this opportunity to speak with your children to educate them about the potential consequences and repercussions of such serious actions,” the department said. “Additionally, you are encouraged to continuously monitor your children’s social media activity.”

NCLUSD confirmed the suspect is a student in the district and that the student did not have the means to carry out the threat.

“We want to inform you that an arrest of one of our students has been made in connection with the recent social media school shooting hoax,” the district said in a news release. “Please rest assured that our district investigates all potential threats—whether credible or not—with the utmost seriousness, in close collaboration with law enforcement. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff, and we remain committed to keeping you accurately and promptly informed of any situation that may impact our ability to maintain a safe learning environment. At no time did this student have ability to follow through with the threat. The intention was to cause a disruption.

“In an ongoing effort to support a safe school community, we encourage the use of the StopIt App,” NCLUSD stated. “This app is a powerful tool for anonymously reporting concerns such as bullying, safety threats, or inappropriate behavior. The app allows students and community members to submit detailed reports, including text, photos, and videos, directly to school administrators or district personnel for thorough investigation. The StopIt App can be easily downloaded to your mobile device and is also available on your child’s district-issued device, offering a convenient way to report concerns at any time.

“Lastly, we want to remind everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. As adults, we must model the behavior we wish to see in our children, and together, we can foster a strong sense of confidence in our ability to keep them safe. Trust and collaboration are key in ensuring that the challenges our society faces today do not undermine the strength and potential of our Newman Crows Landing community.”

Gustine Police Interim Chief Sam Joseph said they had two officers stay in the area of the campuses and nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

Both school districts tried to quell the apprehension by releasing statements on social media.

“We have recently been made aware of some concerning content circulating on social media,” GUSD wrote in a posted statement. “We have consulted with our local police department and they have determined that this content is not credible.  We have been informed that this content is making its way around the communities in our area.

“Please keep in mind that social media may be a source of misinformation.  We are also aware of a post alleging a firearm was found on campus at Gustine High School.  After a thorough investigation in collaboration with high school administration and Gustine Police Department, we can assure families that the allegations are false and unfounded. We will continue to be alert and will keep families informed as necessary through ParentSquare.”

NCLUSD posted a similar statement:

“We have recently become aware of some concerning content circulating on social media. After consulting with our local police department, we have determined that this content is not credible,” the statement read. “It is our understanding that content such as this is making its way around communities in our area.

“Please keep in mind that social media can often be a source of misinformation. We can confidently confirm that the content in question has no connection to our students or schools. However, we take all potential threats seriously and continue to work closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety of our school community.

“We kindly ask parents and guardians to speak with their children about responsible online behavior. Sharing such posts can lead to unnecessary fear and confusion. The most effective way to protect our community is by reporting any concerning content directly to local law enforcement or school officials. Even when posts are hoaxes, they can still be disruptive and disturbing, with serious consequences for those involved.”

The posts also caught the attention of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

“The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating recent social media posts containing threats directed at schools throughout the region, including within our county. More specifically, schools in the city of Patterson have been referenced. At this point, we have yet to find evidence that any of these threats are credible,” the sheriff’s office stated on their Facebook page.

“Our top priority is the safety and security of students, school staff, and the surrounding community. Despite a lack of credibility, we will remain vigilant, and ask that the community do the same. As we continue to communicate with our allied law enforcement agencies and school districts, we encourage people to immediately report any suspicious activity or additional threats to law enforcement.

We want to reinforce that we take all threats seriously and will thoroughly investigate any brought to our attention. We will work with the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute anyone in violation of the law. Charges that may be brought against a person include threats against an education institution and criminal threats.”