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Beloit Police, FBI Trace School Threat Post to Local Juvenile; No Charges Announced
A social media post threatening violence at an unspecified school prompted a pre-dawn investigation Thursday, with federal agents linking the message to a Beloit internet address and a juvenile. Police say the threat was not credible, but the inquiry remains open.
BELOIT, Wis. â A social media post threatening violence at an unidentified school set off a multi-agency investigation in Beloit early Thursday, with local police and federal agents tracing the message to a juvenile and a local internet connection before determining the threat was not credible.
The Beloit Police Department said it began looking into the post shortly after 4:45 a.m. Thursday. The department then contacted the FBI, which identified a possible link between the social media messages and a Beloit internet address, according to police.
Authorities determined that a juvenile was involved. Police did not release the juvenile's identity or say whether any charges are expected. The investigation remains active, with federal investigators assisting, the department said.
The post did not name a specific school, leaving families and school officials across the district to wait for word as the investigation unfolded. Police did not say whether any schools were placed on alert or modified their schedules in response.
The case highlights the growing pressure on local law enforcement to assess online threats quickly, often with federal help, in an era when a single post can spread through a school community before officials have verified anything. Beloit police have not said how the post was brought to their attention or how widely it circulated.
Wisconsin maintains a statewide tip line for reporting potential school threats. The Department of Justice's Speak Up, Speak Out program accepts reports at 1-800-697-8761 or by texting "SUSO" to 738477. Emergencies should be directed to 911.
Police did not provide further details Thursday, and it was not immediately clear whether the juvenile's family had been contacted or whether the case would be referred to prosecutors.