FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) 鈥� An 18-year-old has been arrested and charged with making threats to attack a northern Virginia high school last month.
Police on Monday said Ishmael Harrison turned himself in on charges of threatening to harm people on school grounds. He聽was also charged with possession of child pornography.
A search of Harrison’s home, authorities said, yielded over 200 hundred rounds of ammunition. The type, they said, is commonly used in an AR-15.
Harrison allegedly posted threats on social media Feb. 21 targeting students and staff at Fairfax High School, as well as police.
鈥淭hese threats were widely distributed using social media networks, and they created a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety within the community at large,鈥� said Carl Pardiny, Fairfax City police chief, during a news conference Monday afternoon.
鈥淲hile threats of the nature are occurring all across our nation, both the city of Fairfax and Fairfax County police departments are absolutely committed to the safety and welfare of our communities,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd we take all threats seriously.鈥�
Authorities credited students for speaking out when they saw the treats online.
鈥淎s soon as [students] saw these threats on Twitter, that鈥檚 when they started notifying parents, teachers, school staff and the Police Department,鈥� said聽Chief Edwin Roessler of the Fairfax County Police Department.
Fairfax City police had issued a press release Saturday saying they were searching for Harrison, a senior at Fairfax High, and considered him armed and dangerous. Their聽concern increased when they executed a search warrant at the student’s home Friday and found the rifle ammunition but could not find Harrison himself.
WTOP’s Kristi King and Jack Pointer contributed to this report.
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