St. John, IN — An anonymous Instagram post threatening violence against Lake Central High School led to the arrest of a Merrillville student early Wednesday morning. School administrators alerted police after receiving a tip about the post, which mentioned potential harm to students and staff.
According to St. John Police Chief Steven Flores, authorities identified a 15-year-old female student as the individual behind the threatening post. Schererville Police traced the student to a Merrillville address, where officers confirmed her involvement.
Further investigation led officers to a second Merrillville address linked to a family member. There, they located the student and brought her in for questioning. She was later transported to the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center.
Chief Flores praised the swift actions of both the anonymous tipster and law enforcement. He emphasized that every threat to school safety is taken seriously. The investigation remains ongoing, and formal charges are pending.
“Any threat of violence against our schools will not be tolerated,” said Flores. “We will work diligently and use every resource available to bring individuals posting such threats to justice to the fullest extent of the law.”
