Racist video makers suspended, criminal probe ongoing

A racist death threat video posted on social media by a Central Catholic High junior has led to the suspension of students involved and a criminal investigation, but an African American community group is calling for calm while police do their work.

“People are asking me, ‘What can I do?,’ but I want to find out what’s been done, first. Let the natural process take its course,” said attorney Jacq Wilson, who is working with the family of the boy targeted in the video.

The family will meet with detectives, and school and church officials Friday morning, Wilson said, and in the afternoon attend a special meeting called by Advocates for Justice, a group Wilson and his brother formed to mentor African American students.

A stunned Tanya Porter first contacted the school after she saw the 12-second Snapchat video showing a white teen playing with a noose as he says “You must die (expletive).” Her son’s name follows as he and boys unseen laugh, then the scene cuts to a handgun being fired.

Porter showed staff the video Monday morning when classes resumed after Easter break, but said on Tuesday her son saw the boy walk into his classroom delivering papers for the office. Fearing for his safety and others if the school did not take the threat seriously, she contacted Wilson.

Wilson, an attorney in San Francisco who grew up in Modesto, said since the story broke, he has had a number of calls and emails saying the video was “just a joke.”

“When has bullying ever been a joke? When has a death threat ever been a joke?” he said. “Right now, with everything going on (nationally), what were they waiting for, for someone to die? The fact is that people are hurt. People are scared.”

Central Catholic High takes the video very seriously, President Jim Pecchenino said Thursday.

“Students involved in that video have been suspended. They are not on our campus. We'll follow our process for discipline,” Pecchenino said. “The whole video is despicable, every part of it. The noose, the gun going off, it’s just unconscionable to view. It's very unsettling.”

The school has communicated with parents, held daily staff briefings and met with students leaders for their feedback, he said.

“We have taken, I think, an active, proactive approach to make sure we offer a safe secure environment, which I believe we do,” he said. “What you read on our website, our statement, our mission – that's who we are. This incident has really caused us to take a very serious approach.”

No arrests had been made as of Thursday afternoon, said Modesto police Capt. Brian Findlen. He said detectives continue to interview witnesses and have been in contact with the victim.

More generally, Modesto Police investigate a couple school threats each year, said spokeswoman Heather Graves.

Typically, detectives interview witnesses and friends of the student believed to have made the threat, as well as that student and his parents. They consider the student’s mental health and criminal history and whether he has the means to carry out the threat, like access to weapons. They might search the student’s locker, backpack and room, she said.

Graves said the threats most often are determined to be misunderstandings.

For example, Graves said, “Someone overhears something but they didn’t hear whole conversation and it snowballed from there.” Ambiguous posts on social media have prompted many investigations. Graves said recently a post that was interpreted as a threat turned out to be song lyrics.

But detectives always err on the side of caution, she said.

“If it does not appear credible then it is up to the school whether they want to lock down.” Graves said.

On Wednesday, a threat at Denair High caused a 40-minute lockdown, the Denair Unified School District said in a homepage web post by Superintendent Aaron Rosander.

“Today, April 5th, our high school received a threat by way of an on-line app called After School. Law enforcement quickly arrived on the scene and ordered a lockdown at approximately 1:42 p.m. Sheriff’s deputies were able to find clear evidence that the threat was a hoax, and the lockdown was lifted at approximately 2:25 p.m,” the post reads, adding the campus is safe and a letter with details will be going home soon.

Rosander did not return an email from the Bee seeking comment and district staff said no more information would be released.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 4:37 PM.