JOINT NEWS RELEASE

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office/Bonneville Joint School District #93

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Re: Thunder Ridge High School Report of Weapon-related Social Media Post

Early this morning, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies and the administration of Thunder Ridge High School and Bonneville School District received a report concerning a social media post that was being shared around the area. This post made a possible reference to Thunder Ridge High School. Deputies with the School Resource Officer (SRO) Team worked with the Thunder Ridge administration to investigate the reported information. Through that investigation, they found the post originated from a source outside of Bonneville County and likely outside of the United States. This is a common pattern in similar hoax threats across the country. Deputies quickly determined there was no direct connection or defined threat to any specific student or to the school itself.

It appears that an anonymous Snapchat group titled ‘TRHS 2027” has been created by someone with no affiliation with the school or District. This group appears to be unmonitored without a specific owner of the group. A post was made to that group that depicted a screenshot of what appears to be a separate social media post with a picture of a firearm. The post included messaging between two people that inferred some level of violence “tomorrow.” The post also included text referencing staying home and asking if it was a joke. This afternoon, further posts were made on the “TRHS 2027” SnapChat group referencing “tomorrow at the school”. As with the original posts, no specific school, threat, or student was identified or connected to this information, and the nature of it was found to be similar to other hoax threats in other parts of the country.

Thunder Ridge High School students who saw these posts reported them to their parents and then to law enforcement and the school administration.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office places a high priority on the investigation of threats to our schools. Parents and students who are proactive in reporting threats, suspicious behavior, and concerning social media posts–like the one reported today–aid in this process. Because misinformation and rumors spread at an alarming rate, School Resource Deputies work closely with school administrators to vet reports of violence and threats as quickly as possible. As soon as we have verified and accurate information related to the potential threats, we share that information with our families so that they can make the best decisions for the safety of their children.

We recognize how hoax threats like those made today disrupt the educational process and cause students and parents unnecessary stress from the continued sharing and exaggeration of misinformation originating from unofficial sources. As the Sheriff’s Office and Bonneville School District investigate threats, we decide whether to cancel classes or continue with school based on confirmed information. Because of the frequent hoax posts that are made on social media, we do not automatically cancel classes when we receive a report of a possible threat. If we do determine that there is a credible threat to the safety of students and employees, then we will take the appropriate steps to ensure their safety, including canceling classes when necessary. At the same time, we cannot share everything that has been reported to us and what actions we are taking in response to those reports. We advise using caution when reacting to or considering rumors and information from unofficial sources. While getting official information out promptly to parents and our community is a priority, it is even more important to ensure that the information we share is accurate, factual, and verified. With these kinds of situations, it will take time to vet reported information, sift through rumors, and assess any action that may need to take place.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and Bonneville School District #93 have a great partnership in making sure our schools are safe from threats and violence as much as possible. We appreciate the support and help from our families and our community in understanding the processes we follow in response to these events and encourage everyone to report concerns to the appropriate officials to help us respond to these situations as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Thank you.

Trent Dabell
Principal, Thunder Ridge High School

Dr. Scott Woolstenhulme
Superintendent of Schools

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office

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Original Announcement: 9:00 am
Early this morning, before school started, the administration at Thunder Ridge High School and District 93 received a report that an image of a firearm had been posted on social media that referenced Thunder Ridge High School.

We immediately notified the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and are working with them to respond to and investigate this incident. At this time, while we do not have any reason to believe that there is a credible threat to the safety of our students or staff members, we have asked the Sheriff’s Office to deploy additional deputies to the school to monitor the situation. The school is not in lockdown, but we are actively monitoring the safety of our students.

We understand the high level of concern that this news will bring. If this situation creates anxiety or high stress for your children, please let them know that our school counselors will be available to meet with them throughout this week. As a parent or guardian, you also have the right to have your children stay home from school if this situation has created a high level of anxiety for them or fear for their safety.

We are grateful for the support from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office in responding to this situation.