12-year-old student accused of threatening mass shooting at Norwood middle school

NORWOOD, Mass — A 12-year-old middle school student is accused of threatening a mass shooting on Norwood school grounds, police announced Sunday.

Authorities were made aware Friday morning that a warning of a shooting at Coakley Middle School was distributed via group text. Police say a portion of the message was warning the event would take place on Monday and one of the numbers in the group was unknown while the rest were students, police say.

Police say the message indicated the sender had some knowledge of the middle school.

Although the sender tried to hide the source of the number, police say they identified the student who allegedly wrote the message by 10:30 a.m. Friday morning. Norwood police say officers even spoke with the student in question on the phone, who was traveling out of state with family at the time.

Families in Norwood were advised that police did not believe the threat to be credible but placed an extra police presence at Coakley Middle School on Friday, police say.

On Sunday, the student returned home, where Norwood police executed a search warrant, seizing their cell phone. After confessing to the act in front of family, police arrested the student.

12-year-old student arrested, accused of threatening mass shooting at Norwood middle school

There were no firearms found in the home and the student will not be in school on Monday, police say.

Police say on Friday a subsequent text began to circulate indicating the high school was next but police say the message was “spoofed” it was and the cell phone provider verified the arrested student did not send it.

Twelve-year-old Nahla, a sixth-grader at Coakley Middle School, received screenshots of the threats while preparing for school Friday morning.

“I was scared,” Nahla said. “So, I went to my mom, and I was like, ‘I’m not going to school.’ And she was like, ‘Yeah, you’re staying home.’”

With investigators unable initially to share too many details, parents, including Nahla’s mother, Jackie, were left with a lot of questions until Sunday’s arrest.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to send her to school [Monday],” Jackie said, “but with the recent announcement of an arrest and the confession, I feel better about it.”

Norwood Public Schools said in a letter to families school counselors will be available for those who need support.

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