Two Caldera HS students face charges in video school shooting threat; no weapons found

(Update: Adding letter Caldera principal sent to parents)

Police say not related to TikTok viral post nationwide, but 'copycat'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Two Caldera High School students face disorderly conduct charges for posting a video of a lunchtime school shooting threat on a social media platform Friday, police said, although a search turned up no weapons with them on campus, or access to them.

Police were contacted around 12:20 p.m. by a community member on the Deschutes County non-emergency dispatch line to advise the video was circulating of a school shooting threat at Caldera, Lt. Juli McConkey said.

“The threat was specific to Caldera High School and had an intended target time of lunch,” McConkey said in a news release.

McConkey also said the threat “was not related to the nationwide threats circulating via a TikTok post, but was said to have been a copycat inspired by the attention of the national ‘challenge.’”

“Once the post went live, numerous students reported the incident to Caldera High School staff and law enforcement,” McConkey wrote, leading investigators to determine two juvenile Caldera students crated the post and “posted the live audio while on campus.”

School officials and police quickly located the students, and searches found no weapons with them at the school or access to weapons.

“As of this moment, there is no viable threat to the Caldera school community, and we do not have any outstanding suspects to interview,” the lieutenant said. She added that the case has been referred to the Deschutes County Juvenile Department for first-degree disorderly conduct for both juveniles.

"School threats such as this will not be tolerated," McConkey wrote. "Bend Police will continue to investigate these threats and hold the people responsible for the disruption."

The Caldera High School principal sent this letter to families Friday:

Dear Caldera Families,

Today, I want to recognize a few outstanding Caldera students, who demonstrated the character traits and values we are working to instill in our Wolfpack. These students reached out to share concerns from posts they had seen on social media or elsewhere as the national TikTok ‘challenge’ made news across the country. We investigated each and every tip that came forward at Caldera.

One of those tips yielded an actual threat this afternoon by one of our own students. The threat was posted prior to lunch. Shortly after it was broadcast, students reported the social media ‘copycat’ post to administration and law enforcement. The students were identified and isolated. A police investigation found that the youths had neither the means nor intention to follow through with the threat - nonetheless, it caused alarm and panic to those who saw the post. Student safety was not at risk from this threat, however we are taking it seriously, as are police. Bend Police will post more information regarding this incident at https://flashalert.net/id/BendPolice tonight.

I am thankful to our upstanding students who wasted no time alerting us to the post. We should all be proud of them for knowing what to do and taking action immediately to report this social media post.

Parents, please share with your students that hoax threats are not a joke, and they can have devastating consequences — both for the public and for those who post them. Hoax threats can result in both arrest by law enforcement and/or suspension or expulsion by the school district. 

It is my hope that you can help to reinforce to your students that if they see something, they should always say something – as they did today. Please encourage your students to contact the main office, talk to a staff member or counselor, or use the SafeOregon tip line that they can find under the First Step icon on their iPad desktops at any time. (Parents, you can download First Step on your own device. Search for First Step OR in your app store.)

This single incident is not indicative of the Caldera High School culture or students. This is a disappointing and upsetting event, but one that I hope can be a teachable moment for all of us. 

We wish you all a peaceful and safe winter break.

Chris Boyd

Principal Caldera High School