- Wednesday February 21st, 2018 :: 01:56 p.m. PST
Advisory
Sheriff McDonnell Discuss Recent Thwart of Plan to School Shooting and Swift Collaborative Efforts w School Officials
On Friday, February 16, 2018, just two days after the second-largest school shooting occurred in Florida, Norwalk Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to El Camino High School, South Whittier, to investigate the circumstances surrounding a criminal threats call. The deputies learned a school security officer overheard a discontented student threaten a shooting at the school.
An attentive school security officer overheard the warning and promptly alerted authorities. Deputies from Norwalk Sheriff’s Station responded to the school regarding the alarming statement and learned the event was plotted to take place sometime within the next three weeks. It was determined the 17-year-old male subject had an extensive history of discipline at the school and lived locally, in a home with a Smith and Wesson semiautomatic rifle registered to the address.
Just like the security officer, the deputies recognized the ghastly possibilities and the need to pursue a conscientious and methodical, yet exigent, investigation to halt the sinister plan and intervene on a potential threat to life. Station detectives assumed the investigation and served a search warrant at the subject’s Norwalk residence. There, they located a cache of ordnance, including two AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, two pistols, 90 high-capacity magazines, and ammunition, and placed them into evidence.
The subject was detained for the charge of Criminal Threats.
The subject’s 28-year-old brother, an Army veteran, claimed the weapons belonged to him; one of the AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, however, was determined to be unregistered. Daniel Barcenas, of Norwalk, was arrested on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, for the charges of Possession of an Assault Weapon, Thumbhole Stock, Import of High Capacity Magazine, Possession of High Capacity Magazine, Criminal Storage of Firearm, and Failure to Register a Personal Handgun. He was booked at Norwalk Sheriff’s Station and held in lieu of $35,000.
The issue of violent threats on school campuses is something our agency takes very seriously. In 2017, our Criminal Intelligence Bureau received 52 tips or leads involving school-related threats, all which were triaged, evaluated and assessed. Seventeen of the threats involved community college students who were thoroughly evaluated and monitored by a collaborative effort between our Community Colleges Bureau and Criminal Intelligence Bureau personnel, and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel.
Since Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 19 leads were reported to our Criminal Intelligence Bureau. Ten of them were triaged and either already assessed or being assessed. The remaining nine were passed to the respective unit or agency for criminal investigation.
Whether a child articulates violence because they need attention, counseling or mental health assistance, or are simply joking, the idea of committing such acts is staggering and increasing nationwide. During a time in which numerous threats of violence target schools, administrators and students, Sheriff McDonnell addressed parents directly.
“Parents, this should be a wake-up call for all of us,” said Sheriff McDonnell. “Please, talk to your kids, no matter how young, about the challenges we are facing in society today. If you don’t, someone else will.”
The Sheriff thanked Security Officer Chavez for his vigilance, calling him the “unsung hero.”
“I’m not a hero,” said Chavez, a 26-year veteran. “I’m just doing my job every day.”
Sheriff McDonnell also recognized the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District administrators who cooperated with first-responding deputies, Scott Reynal and Martin Maciel, and the tenacious investigators. He offered gratitude to the students, parents, teachers, and school resource officers who provide tips and leads which, ultimately, preserve lives and prevent tears.
Elaine Williams, Chief of School Safety for Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, also attended the press conference. “Outreach to the community is important because communities help raise children,” she said. “It is critical for the community to be involved in recognizing possible threats to our local schools, and saying something to school officials when things are overheard and don’t sound quite right.”
Remember: Every tip is a lead. We ask, as peace officers, concerned residents and parents, ourselves, for you to remain vigilant and report any information about potential threats to local law enforcement. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.\
Prepared by:
Deputy Lillian Peck
Sheriff’s Information Bureau
211 West Temple Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-229-1850
Website LASD HQ: http://www.lasd.org
Recruitment LASD: http://www.careers.lasd.org
Follow LASD HQ via text and email: http://www.Nixle.com
https://nixle.com/lasd---los-angeles-county-sheriffs-dept-information-bureau-sib/
Twitter: @LASDHQ http://twitter.com/LASDHQ
Twitter: @LASDtalk https://twitter.com/LASDTalk
Twitter: @LASDvideos https://twitter.com/LASDvideos
Twitter: @LASDespanol https://twitter.com/LASDespanol
Facebook LASD HQ: http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment
Instagram LASD Photos: http://instagram.com/LASDHQ
Pinterest LASD Photos: http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/
YouTube LASD Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0
SNAP LA County: Specific Needs Disaster Voluntary Registryhttp://snap.lacounty.gov/
Alert LA County: Telephone emergency mass notification system
http://www.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla
Text and email, register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept Information Bureau (SIB)" AND your local LASD station area. To receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan.
"If You See Something, Say Something"
L.A. Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may call “L.A. Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google play or the App Store, or use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Sheriff McDonnell Discuss Recent Thwart of Plan to School Shooting and Swift Collaborative Efforts w School Officials 
Sheriff McDonnell Discusses Recent Thwart of Plan to School Shooting and Swift, Collaborative Efforts with School Officials
On Friday, February 16, 2018, just two days after the second-largest school shooting occurred in Florida, Norwalk Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to El Camino High School, South Whittier, to investigate the circumstances surrounding a criminal threats call. The deputies learned a school security officer overheard a discontented student threaten a shooting at the school.
An attentive school security officer overheard the warning and promptly alerted authorities. Deputies from Norwalk Sheriff’s Station responded to the school regarding the alarming statement and learned the event was plotted to take place sometime within the next three weeks. It was determined the 17-year-old male subject had an extensive history of discipline at the school and lived locally, in a home with a Smith and Wesson semiautomatic rifle registered to the address.
Just like the security officer, the deputies recognized the ghastly possibilities and the need to pursue a conscientious and methodical, yet exigent, investigation to halt the sinister plan and intervene on a potential threat to life. Station detectives assumed the investigation and served a search warrant at the subject’s Norwalk residence. There, they located a cache of ordnance, including two AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, two pistols, 90 high-capacity magazines, and ammunition, and placed them into evidence.
The subject was detained for the charge of Criminal Threats.
The subject’s 28-year-old brother, an Army veteran, claimed the weapons belonged to him; one of the AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, however, was determined to be unregistered. Daniel Barcenas, of Norwalk, was arrested on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, for the charges of Possession of an Assault Weapon, Thumbhole Stock, Import of High Capacity Magazine, Possession of High Capacity Magazine, Criminal Storage of Firearm, and Failure to Register a Personal Handgun. He was booked at Norwalk Sheriff’s Station and held in lieu of $35,000.
The issue of violent threats on school campuses is something our agency takes very seriously. In 2017, our Criminal Intelligence Bureau received 52 tips or leads involving school-related threats, all which were triaged, evaluated and assessed. Seventeen of the threats involved community college students who were thoroughly evaluated and monitored by a collaborative effort between our Community Colleges Bureau and Criminal Intelligence Bureau personnel, and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel.
Since Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 19 leads were reported to our Criminal Intelligence Bureau. Ten of them were triaged and either already assessed or being assessed. The remaining nine were passed to the respective unit or agency for criminal investigation.
Whether a child articulates violence because they need attention, counseling or mental health assistance, or are simply joking, the idea of committing such acts is staggering and increasing nationwide. During a time in which numerous threats of violence target schools, administrators and students, Sheriff McDonnell addressed parents directly.
“Parents, this should be a wake-up call for all of us,” said Sheriff McDonnell. “Please, talk to your kids, no matter how young, about the challenges we are facing in society today. If you don’t, someone else will.”
The Sheriff thanked Security Officer Chavez for his vigilance, calling him the “unsung hero.”
“I’m not a hero,” said Chavez, a 26-year veteran. “I’m just doing my job every day.”
Sheriff McDonnell also recognized the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District administrators who cooperated with first-responding deputies, Scott Reynal and Martin Maciel, and the tenacious investigators. He offered gratitude to the students, parents, teachers, and school resource officers who provide tips and leads which, ultimately, preserve lives and prevent tears.
Elaine Williams, Chief of School Safety for Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, also attended the press conference. “Outreach to the community is important because communities help raise children,” she said. “It is critical for the community to be involved in recognizing possible threats to our local schools, and saying something to school officials when things are overheard and don’t sound quite right.”
Remember: Every tip is a lead. We ask, as peace officers, concerned residents and parents, ourselves, for you to remain vigilant and report any information about potential threats to local law enforcement. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.\
Prepared by:
Deputy Lillian Peck
Sheriff’s Information Bureau
211 West Temple Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-229-1850
Website LASD HQ: http://www.lasd.org
Recruitment LASD: http://www.careers.lasd.org
Follow LASD HQ via text and email: http://www.Nixle.com
https://nixle.com/lasd---los-angeles-county-sheriffs-dept-information-bureau-sib/
Twitter: @LASDHQ http://twitter.com/LASDHQ
Twitter: @LASDtalk https://twitter.com/LASDTalk
Twitter: @LASDvideos https://twitter.com/LASDvideos
Twitter: @LASDespanol https://twitter.com/LASDespanol
Facebook LASD HQ: http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment
Instagram LASD Photos: http://instagram.com/LASDHQ
Pinterest LASD Photos: http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/
YouTube LASD Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0
SNAP LA County: Specific Needs Disaster Voluntary Registryhttp://snap.lacounty.gov/
Alert LA County: Telephone emergency mass notification system
http://www.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla
Text and email, register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept Information Bureau (SIB)" AND your local LASD station area. To receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan.
"If You See Something, Say Something"
L.A. Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may call “L.A. Crime Stoppers” at 800-222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google play or the App Store, or use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Address/Location
LASD - Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept Information Bureau (SIB)
211 W Temple St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 213-229-1700
