Students ID'd after threatening graffiti found at California High School in San Ramon

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ByAmy Hollyfield KGO logo
Friday, May 17, 2019
Students ID'd after threatening graffiti found at San Ramon school
Several students have been identified and disciplined who are allegedly responsible for threatening graffiti at California High School in San Ramon, school officials said.

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KGO) -- School administrators in San Ramon have identified and disciplined four students who they say wrote "May 9th" and a racial slur on a shack on the campus of California High School. Previous graffiti messages on bathroom walls had promised a mass shooting on May 9.

"We have had four incidents in May at California High School involving threatening remarks directed at the school. In 3 of the cases there have been racist remarks which is equally disappointing at this school because we have done so much work around diversity and inclusion," said the school district spokesperson Elizabeth Graswich.

Administrators are praising students for coming forward with information that helped them find the students responsible for the graffiti on the shack.

RELATED: Police increase patrols at California High in San Ramon after threatening message found

"After we reported that we needed more information, we had over 40 tips come in through our anonymous tip line. That doesn't even include the tips that came in through our teachers directly. So this is really the result of students doing the right thing," said Graswich.

The other three messages were written on bathroom walls. The most recent one was posted yesterday, Thursday the 17.

"In this case there was inconsistent information in the threat. It said Thursday but then named the date of Monday, Memorial Day," said Graswich.

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She said she wants parents to know they are taking the threats seriously and have increased police presence on campus.

The four students were disciplined by school officials but police did not arrest them.

Captain Denton Carlson at the San Ramon Police Department said they don't have evidence to indicate there was actual intent to carry out any type of violence related to the threats made.

Graswich says she cannot say what punishment they handed out to the students because it is confidential. She says the district is taking several steps to try and prevent this from happening in the future. They have training planned for staff and students in the fall and active shooter emergency training scheduled with police.