Update: Gun Found at Teen’s Home in Death Threats at La Mesa Middle

Updated at 6:33 p.m. Friday, March 9

A 14-year-old student at La Mesa Middle School was taken into custody Thursday night by school resource officers and detectives, accused of making death threats.

According to Capt. Dan Willis of the La Mesa Police Department, the boy was booked into the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility. Willis said the suspect is charged with making specific verbal and written threats against both teachers and students at .

Officers confiscated a gun at the teen's home, according to a report in U-T San Diego. The report states that the boy "allegedly planned to shoot several teachers and students on campus."

“This was definitely the most serious threat toward any of our schools we’ve had in the past year or so,” Willis was quoted as saying. “Here was a kid who had access to the school every day. It would have been easy for him to get a weapon on campus.”

La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Superintendent Brian Marshall told La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch that each school is trained on policies and procedures to follow in cases where someone is threatening to seriously harm students.

"There are protocols that we have in place, and these were followed by these students," Marshall said. "We had a shooting in another state last week, so we are always talking to our students that if you hear about something, let us know."

Marshall said he couldn't speak specifically about the case, as it is still under investigation, but offered high praise for the his students and staff.

"I really want to reach out and congratulate the La Mesa Middle School students and staff for doing the right thing, so there was never really a threat of serious injury."

Both Marshall and Willis confirmed that a weapon was never brought onto campus.

It is unknown how many threats were made, or to how many individuals.

After hearing of the nature of the threats, school staff contacted the school district and La Mesa police, who began an investigation, police said.

They worked closely to protect the safety and security of students and staff at the school. Willis said the investigation began about a week ago.

Willis said that to his knowledge the suspect never had an actual weapon while on campus and that no one was actually physically injured.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400.