The Paso Robles Police Department notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning of a threatening social media post made to a Santa Maria school. A 22-year-old Orcutt resident wrote on Facebook that he wanted to “shoot up a school" in the area, although he did not specify which one.
According to a release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the subject’s residence in Orcutt and conducted an investigation. It was determined he did not have access to firearms. Mental health experts were brought in to assess the individual in his home and then he was transported to a local hospital for follow up care.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said there was never a direct threat to Santa Maria schools, but it did notify district officials and the Santa Maria Police Department. The Sheriff’s Office said it will continue to investigate the incident and pass its findings along to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review.
A spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office thanked those who reported the incident to law law enforcement and said in a release, “It is important that we are aware of any potential threat to public safety so that we can quickly intervene, determine if a threat exists and ensure that people who are suffering from mental health issues are getting the assistance they need.”
