San Joaquin Memorial closes Tuesday, concerned student’s Instagram post is gun threat

Classes at San Joaquin Memorial High School were canceled Tuesday after school officials became aware of a student’s social media post that suggested he planned to “shoot up the school with an AK-47.”

Mike Der Manouel Jr., chairman of the school’s board of directors, said Monday night that it “appears that the student was quoting song lyrics on his Instagram account that referred to the students that were shot at Columbine,” the Colorado high school where two students murdered 13 people and wounded 21 others in 1999.

Officials at the central Fresno school alerted Fresno police, who contacted the student at his home. Police Chief Jerry Dyer said that detectives were seeking a warrant to search the student’s home for any evidence to substantiate the threat. No one had been arrested as of Monday night, Dyer said.

Der Manouel said that while he does not believe students were “facing any real threat, we are taking all precautions necessary.”

He added that he expects school to open again on Wednesday.

This story was originally published August 31, 2015 at 10:24 PM with the headline "San Joaquin Memorial closes Tuesday, concerned student’s Instagram post is gun threat."