Palisade Teen Arrested for Gun Threats Made on Facebook

Mesa County School Resource Deputies arrested a 13-year-old Palisade teenager on a number of charges due to Facebook threats made against students at her school.

According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, students at Mount Garfield Middle School told faculty and administrators on Monday (December 14) about posts on Facebook saying the teen had a handgun and was threatening to use it on school grounds.

After investigating the reports, the teen was arrested on charges related to felony menacing, unlawful possession of a firearm by a juvenile, interference with students at a school and harassment.

The images of the handgun have been removed from Facebook, but deputies have not recovered the weapon shown in those photos.The Sheriff's Department says the case continues to be an active investigation.

The student making the threats has been placed in custody at the youth detention services. Her name is not being released in compliance with the Colorado Open Records Act.

The Sheriff's Department and School District 51 officials say students who reported the threatening posts helped them quickly investigate and deter the threat.

Updates on this case will be posted as they become available.