Burbank Police Department News Release: School Shooting Threat

Burbank, CA (September 28, 2023) – The Burbank Police Department is committed to providing a safe and secure environment in and around school campuses in the City of Burbank. Together with the Burbank Unified School District, the Burbank Police Department investigates any act, behavior, or threat that places fear in the minds of students, parents, or staff, or that compromises their safety.

Last night, the Burbank Police Department was made aware of a social media posting regarding a perceived threat to Luther Burbank Middle School. Burbank Police officers and detectives immediately initiated an investigation and subsequently identified the person responsible for the posting.

The suspect, a 13-year-old student, was arrested, and later released to his parents with a citation for criminal threats. The parents were cooperative with officers and voluntarily turned over the toy firearm depicted in the social media post.

The Burbank Police Department and Burbank Unified School District understand that rumors of a threat cause fear and anxiety in the minds of children and parents. Together, we want to assure you that incidents like these are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, with those responsible being held accountable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Communication is an important part of building a strong partnership with students and parents. Open communication is also a key component in maintaining safety in our schools. We all need to work together, as a community, to create a safe and supportive learning environment. We encourage parents to discuss these events with your children. It is quite common for threats to originate and/or circulate on social media. We ask parents to monitor the activities of their children on social media, and to report anything suspicious or unusual. We also ask that you emphasize the seriousness of this issue with your children.

The Burbank Police Department would also like to remind our community that any threat directed towards a student(s), faculty member(s), or school, is a crime. Anyone suspected of orchestrating such a threat, helping to spread rumors of a threat, or committing any act that jeopardizes the safety of our schools or causes a disruption in education, will be held accountable for their actions.

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Questions regarding this statement should be directed to Sergeant Stephen Turner at (818) 238-3240 or [email protected]