Delaware State Police
News Release

Update #2 Four Charged in Threatening Text Message Incident – Crime Committed after Wal-Mart

 

The Delaware State Police have arrested four persons in relation to the threatening text messages that generated significant police presence in local schools in the Seaford and Woodbridge School Districts.  Moreover, DSP learned the incident was conspired amongst three persons after they learned of the Wal-Mart urban myth that circulated the area on Wednesday afternoon.  This message was done with an attempt to create a similar reaction within the community - with the ultimate goal to alarm people a shooting was going to occur in the schools.

 

Detectives successfully retraced the message through cellular telephones obtained from students and were able to link it to a cellular telephone owned to Charia S. West, 19 of Seaford.  As investigators continued the investigation they learned that she and two relatives, who reside with her, had constructed the idea to send the alarming message to various people within the Seaford District.  The original message was sent to persons shortly after 12:00 am this morning.

 

These two relatives, a niece and nephew of West’s, are a 14 year old female and a 15 year old male.  Investigators were able to locate all subjects earlier today and through interviews obtained additional knowledge they were involved in the crime. 

 

These three subjects have been linked and are responsible for Seaford School District incident.  Detectives have identified a fourth person responsible for generating and disseminating the threatening text message throughout the Woodbridge School district.  A 16 year old Bridgeville woman had received the original text message from the aforementioned persons and altered the text to reflect Woodbridge instead of Seaford and then sent it to persons within the Woodbridge District.

 

As a result of the investigation, Charia West has been charged with felony Terroristic Threatening and Conspiracy 2^nd degree. The two juveniles related to West, who were involved with the Seaford incident, were charged with misdemeanor Terroristic Threatening and Conspiracy 3^rd degree. The fourth juvenile was arrested for misdemeanor Terroristic Threatening. All juveniles were released to their parents pending court proceedings in Family Court.

 

Arraignment information on West is currently not available. It will be released once it becomes known.

 

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Update #1 State Police Have Arrested Three Persons for Threatening Text Messages in Two Local School Districts

 

The Delaware State Police have taken three persons into custody that are responsible for the threatening text messages that circulated throughout the Seaford and Woodbridge School Districts earlier today. Detectives have been able to successfully trace the messages back to the originating cellular device and have positively identified the owner of the phone. State Police currently have one adult and two juveniles in custody at Troop 5 in Bridgeville. The juveniles are students in the Seaford School District.

 

Information regarding the identities and charges of these persons will be released later today.

 

In addition, earlier this morning both the Sussex Technical High School and Sussex Central High School received verbal bomb threats. DSP is investigating those threats and as a result both districts have evacuated students as police trained K-9’s conduct searches of the school. Those incidents remain under investigation.

 

Note: These arrests are not related to the bomb threats.

 

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State Police Investigating Threatening Text Messages in Two Local School Districts

 

Released Friday, March 20, 2009

 

Seaford – The Delaware State Police are currently investigating an alarming text message that a Seaford School District student received this morning at approximately 7:00 am indicating that a student would be shot at either the Seaford High School or Seaford Middle School today between the hours of 8:00 am and 12:00 pm.

 

The student notified his parents who reported it to police. Because of this message, DSP and Seaford School District officials requested additional police presence at the schools as a precautionary measure while police investigated. It should be known that the message was the sent to many other students who began forwarding it throughout the student population.

 

Currently, the DSP and Seaford Police Department have eight officers located at the two schools and district officials have placed the schools on Level 1 lockdown. This minimizes students and visitors from entering or leaving the building.

 

As this investigation was underway, another text message was received by a student in the Woodbridge School District indicating a similar occurrence happening at the High School. District Officials and DSP have placed three troopers at that school while the investigation is underway.

 

Questions concerning the Seaford School District can be directed to Ms. Bonnie Johnson at 302.629.4587 ext. 276. Questions concerning the Woodbridge School District can be directed to officials at 302.337.8289.

 

Currently there is no suspect information. When updated information is available it will be released. Anyone who has any information on this crime is urged to contact investigators at Troop 5 at 302.337.1090 or Crime Stoppers at 1.800.TIP.3333.

 

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