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Misdemeanor charge filed against student who reported seeing gunman at Pleasant Grove High School

Posted at 5:08 PM, Dec 11, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-11 19:10:39-05
Police respond at Pleasant Grove High School December 3 after a report of a gunman.

Police respond at Pleasant Grove High School December 3 after a report of a gunman.

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah — A student who allegedly made a false report about a gunman at a high school in Utah County in order to get out of a school activity is facing a single misdemeanor charge for the incident, which prompted a massive police response and lockdown earlier this month.

While the teen was initially booked on a charge of making a false report and a charge of terroristic threats, the Utah County Attoreny’s Office ultimately decided when formal charges were filed to go with the lone charge of false report.

The Utah County Attorney’s Office tells FOX 13 News that upon reviewing the case, they found the evidence relating to the incident did not support a charge of terrorist threats. The charge of false report is a class B misdemeanor, and because the suspect is a juvenile his name has not been released and authorities are not commenting further on the case.

The false report occurred the day after a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, and authorities said the large police response, which included SWAT personnel and armored vehicles, was motivated by a desire to take every possible precaution to ensure student safety.

While police were at the school for several hours, they ultimately determined the report of a gunman was false. The student reportedly told police he made the false report in order to get out of some kind of school assignment or activity.