Teen arrested for threats to shoot up Indiana school over pro-ICE demonstration rumors: police

Police have arrested an 18-year-old for making threats against students at Center Grove School in Indiana because he thought there was a pro-ICE demonstration taking place, according to police. 

Adrian Abundio-Valente, 18, has been charged with making threats towards the school after he allegedly sent threatening messages to Center Grove High School's social media account over Instagram on Feb 5. Authorities said he sent the messages in response to a pro-ICE demonstration that he thought would be taking place, but did not materialize. The messages, according to court documents, included:  
 

• "Im walking in tomorrow with a ARP and im killing everyone thats in my sight”
• “Better have yo school and shut down”
• “Racist a** piece s*** school”
• “Blockin after this message for personal reasons, but doesn’t mean im stopping”
• “So be careful tomorrow”

"Law enforcement officers involved in this investigation worked throughout the night to locate and arrest an individual who posted threatening comments on a social media platform directed at Center Grove Schools, placing school staff, students, and families in fear," Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess said on Friday morning. 

Law enforcement was able to identify the GPS coordinate of Abundio-Valente's phone using his Instagram account. The 18-year-old then reportedly told detectives that he was upset that a pro-ICE demonstration was going to take place on February 6. There was no evidence that a demonstration was taking place that day at the school. 

Abundio-Valente then wrote an apology letter to the high school, according to 13 WTHR. 

"Dear, Center Grove Highschool students my name is (redacted), I am the person who sent the threat to the school, I wanted to apologize for making a stupid wrong choice for scaring the students there, I didn't really mean to threat the whole school it was just a wrong decision I made because I heard students are doing a counter protest against ice," the suspect wrote in an apology message. 

Abundio-Valente's bail has been set at $15,000, and he was being held at the Johnson County Jail as of Friday morning. The suspect is "not associated with Center Grove High School," the school district said.  

"Let it be absolutely clear: threats against our schools, our students, and our educators will not be tolerated in Johnson County," Burgess said. "Any individual who believes they can hide behind social media to intimidate or threaten schools will be identified, located, and held accountable. Actions that cause fear especially among students who are simply trying to receive an education are unacceptable and criminal."