Full Notification

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, shortly after 12:00 AM, Santa Maria Police Department was notified by the FBI of a potential social media threat to Santa Maria High School that was circulating on social media. 

With the assistance of the FBI, SMPD patrol officers began to investigate the post by contacting the involved student, a 14-year-old juvenile, and conducting searches to determine the validity of the threat. It was later determined that the photograph used in the post was recirculated from Google and was not taken by the student.

After a thorough investigation, all involved parties were contacted and determined there was no credible threat against the school. SMHS administrators were notified of the details of the investigation.

SMPD takes these threats seriously and is commited to investigating and prosecuting such cases, alongside our local, state and federal partners.