Redding Police investigating two separate incidents yesterday after two 13-year-old John Read Middle School students caused a scare by posting photos of guns on Instagram along with what authorities referred to as “questionable comments.”
Police said no students were ever in any actual danger.
Just after 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, a 13-year-old boy posted a picture on Instagram of two "air soft" guns and the statement "I think I'm ready to go to school :-)," police said.
The student was immediately found and did not have any weapons, police said. He was charged with disorderly conduct and released into the custody of a parent.
Redding Police said they have seized both weapons and the orange tip that identifies the gun as a facsimile firearm had been removed from one of them.
Police are also investigating a second incident after another 13-year-old student posted a photo of a gun at 5:30 p.m. and the message, "Damn I love revolvers."
Police said that student had taken that photo from the Internet.
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"We have to make a decision whether it's a real firearm in a split second," explained Redding Police Chief Douglas Fuchs. "That is a very, very difficult thing to do."
Officers determined that the student did not have immediate access to any other firearms and did not bring any to school. School superintendent Bernard Josefsberg said that student will probably not be facing charges.
The superintendent and the chief praised the student who saw something and said something.
