A juvenile suspect is in custody in Marion County following an alleged school shooting threat Tuesday afternoon, and new technology is being credited with his quick apprehension.
Flippin Police Department Assistant Chief Dustin Carter says Marion County 911 operators received a call about 3:15 alleging an unknown male armed with a shotgun was en route to Mountain Home Public Schools to “shoot it up.” The 911 operators advised the Mountain Home Police Department of the alleged threat.
Carter says law enforcement was able to determine the call had been made near the Flippin High School. Officers from the Flippin Police Department were dispatched to the area and conducted a search leading to the juvenile suspect within 13 minutes.
Carter says the juvenile told officers the call was a hoax, and he was simply trying to play a prank. He has been charged with communicating a false alarm.
Carter says at this time, there is no known threat to any local schools.
Marion County 911 Coordinator Jennifer Hart says on February 28th the county went live with a new 911 call taking system. The system is Next Generation 911 equipped and is able to receive texts to 911 messages.
Hart says the new technology helped expedite response to the shooting threat call.
The Flippin Police Department was assisted by the Marion County Sheriffs Office and the Mountain Home Police Department.
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