ORCUTT (KSBY) — For some students at Orcutt Academy High School, going to school on Monday came with a little more anxiety than usual.
Late last week, a post on TikTok threatening a school shooting started circulating among students.
"My peers were very frightened. I know a lot of people didn't come to school today because of the threat," said student Jesse Acosta.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office says school leaders reported the post to investigators at around 5:20 p.m. Friday, about 20 minutes after it was posted.
Junior Alyssa Herrera says the message made her nervous and uneasy about coming back to campus.
"It was just like a video saying that there's going to be a school shooting, and they posted like their main targets, which were like kids' initials at the school," Herrera said. "I was a little bit nervous knowing that there was a threat around, but after I heard that they caught the person and they know who it is, I feel better."
Deputies say the person behind the threat is a juvenile from the Orcutt area. They spoke to him and his parents, and determined he did not have the means to carry out the threat.
In a statement, Orcutt Union School District Superintendent Holly Edds said, "The individual involved does not have access to our campus. We remain focused on providing a safe, secure, and supportive environment for all students and staff."
Still, the incident had an impact on students, with the school experiencing a higher-than-normal absence rate.
"The individual was caught, was referred to probation, and just because they're caught does not mean there shouldn't be law enforcement on campus no matter what," Acosta said.
Students first flagged the post, reporting it to their coach, who then alerted a school administrator.
"When threats like this are made, we should report it and not repost it," Acosta said.
"Keep safe and watch your surroundings," Herrera said.
The sheriff's office says the case will be forwarded to juvenile probation for possible criminal charges.
