Hawai‘i Island police have arrested and charged a 17-year-old male juvenile with terroristic threatening in connection with a reported threat via social media received by a Waiākea High School student in Hilo.

The juvenile was arrested today at his Hilo residence at 1:50 p.m. 

The arrest stems from an incident reported to police on Wednesday evening, September 6, 2023, when police received a call from a concerned parent reporting that their teen received a threatening message from an unknown person.

During the course of this investigation, detectives were able to identify the social media application utilized to make the threat, which ultimately led to the identity of the responsible juvenile, who is a student at Hilo High School.

On September 7, 2023, at 4:20 p.m., Area I Juvenile Aid Section detectives charged the juvenile with second-degree terroristic threatening.

Police take threats of violence very seriously, especially those made towards schools and students. After receiving this threat, police conducted a safety sweep of Waiākea High School and maintained a police presence on campus throughout the day.        

Police ask anyone who may have information regarding this threat to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or contact Acting Detective Corey Kaneko of the Area I Juvenile Aide Section at (808) 961-8843, or via email at corey.kaneko@hawaiicounty.gov.