Deputies step up patrols at 2 Elk Grove Unified schools after threat circulates on social media

Sheriff’s deputies were stationed outside Cosumnes Oaks High School and neighboring Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School on Monday following a social media post threatening violence at the Elk Grove campuses that was later debunked.

The threat posted on Sunday stated that students would meet in the parking lot of the high school campus and bring guns to school on Monday or Tuesday.

Elk Grove Unified School District officials said the threat was not a credible one but added: “We do not consider a threat to a school to be a prank.”

A reader shared a copy of the threatening post with The Bee on Monday. The Snapchat message appeared to protest COVID-19 mask and vaccine requirements.

“We done with all this mask wearing and covid shot so we going to show those sleepy Biden brain f------ that we patriots done with this tyranny,” the social media post said in part.

“The district was made aware of the social media post ... and it was immediately reported to law enforcement. Out of an abundance of caution, we had law enforcement present at Cosumnes Oaks High School and at the adjacent Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School” on Whitelock Parkway, the district’s statement read.

“After a thorough investigation, the threat was found to not be credible,” the statement continued. “We take all threats seriously.

“We encourage our community to remember that if they see something to say something and we ask our parents and guardians to speak to their students about the severity of consequence in making a threat to a school.”

Two Sacramento County sheriff’s patrol vehicles were posted outside the doors of the Cosumnes Oaks campus on Lotz Parkway on Monday, while teaching continued as normal. A Cosumnes Oaks official declined to comment Monday, deferring to district officials.

The Sheriff’s Office provides school resource officers to Elk Grove Unified through a partnership agreement with the district.

“Please be assured that we take these threats very seriously and do not consider these actions to be pranks,” Cosumnes Oaks Principal Johnny Jauregui wrote in the statement to parents. “Posting such threats is a felony offense and they are disruptive to our school and community. These types of threats can result in an arrest and further disciplinary action.”