Police Investigate Internet Threats Against Students and Staff at Area High School

[Howard Hartman]

	DEPARTMENT OF POLICE MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION 2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294   240-773-5030
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2009	FOR MORE INFORMATION:                         Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Police Investigate Internet Threats
Against Students and Staff at Area High School

Updated Information

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police 2nd District Investigative Section have been investigating an internet-posted threat against students and staff at Walt Whitman High School located at 7100 Whittier Boulevard in Bethesda. It was posted on the www.peoplesdirt.com website and came to the attention of the school’s administrative staff the evening of Monday, May 11, 2009.

At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Monday, the principal of Walt Whitman High School, notified police that he had been made aware of a threatening entry on the peoples dirt website toward students and staff at his school. The posting included a list of names of students and staff, under the heading, “Killing a Few Whitman People, Who would you like to see die”. The threats were to be carried out on May 21, 2009. The posting was signed by, “whitmanarson”.

These types of threats are always seriously evaluated, and 2nd District officers were assigned to Walt Whitman High School on Tuesday to support the staff and students named in the threat while the investigation was being conducted. It was determined by a thorough computer search that the posting was made from Tennessee, by a former Walt Whitman student, and that the threats were not likely to be carried out because he is in another state. Montgomery County detectives have contacted law enforcement authorities in Tennessee to locate and take the suspect into custody. There will be a public release of that arrest information after the suspect is in custody.

Montgomery County Police have previously investigated reports of inappropriate postings on the peoples dirt website after receiving complaints. However, only one posting, that of a topless underage girl in December of 2008, was determined to be illegal. It was removed by the site provider after he was contacted by police. Anyone who believes that there may be an illegal posting or a posting that threatens public safety is asked to call the Montgomery County Police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

This investigation is continuing.

7100 Whittier Boulevard in Bethesda

[Howard Hartman]