From Tribune staff reports
HOOVER — A 17-year-old has been charged with a first degree count making a terrorist threat following an incident that led to a lockdown at Hoover High School on Thursday, according to police.
The Hoover Police Department released a statement on Friday outlining the incident and subsequent arrest.
According to HPD, on April 11, 2024 at approximately 1:46 p.m., Hoover High School officials and Hoover Police School Resource Officers at the school were notified by students of a suspicious person on campus who was making threats of violence.
A lockdown of the school was initiated while Hoover police officers investigated the complaint. Officers located the person, who was identified as a juvenile student and quickly detained them, police said.
A thorough search of the campus was conducted and no weapons were located. Once the campus was determined to be safe, the lockdown was lifted and students were dismissed.
HPD said the subsequent investigation revealed the 17-year-old juvenile male student was wearing a mask and engaged in a verbal altercation with a group of students in the courtyard.
During the altercation the suspect made gestures to make the other students believe he was armed with a weapon and he made verbal statements making the students believe he intended to harm them, police said.
The threats were subsequently reported to faculty and a lockdown was initiated. SROs and school staff immediately began to work to identify the suspect and took him into custody within minutes and without incident.
The suspect was not armed when he was taken into custody, and there has been no evidence discovered indicating he was ever armed with a weapon at any point, HPD stated.
Police said the incident was isolated, and there is no ongoing threat at Hoover High School.
The facts of the case were presented to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in Bessemer.
The suspect was charged with making a terrorist threat, first degree. Alabama law prohibits any further information from being released due to the age of the suspect.