Maricopa Wells Middle School

The Maricopa Police Department is investigating an anonymous threat sent to a Maricopa Wells Middle School student yesterday.

MPD Spokesman Ricardo Alvarado said the alleged threat was vague, but included “somebody coming to the school with firearms.”

Alvarado said the message was sent through a social media app that allows messages to be shared anonymously.

After the threat was reported to police by a school resource officer, MPD increased its patrols around the middle school and assigned its Detectives Division to investigate.

MPD interviewed the student who received the threatening message as well as “some other people that we thought may have been involved,” Alvarado said.

But so far the team has been unable to substantiate the threat or identify a suspect.

“We’ve tried to contact the social media app provider and tried to get information from it – who sent the message – but so far they have not been willing to help,” Alvarado said.

MWMS Principal Rick Abel said MPD and the Maricopa Unified School District are working together to identify the sender.

“Our No. 1 responsibility is keeping kids safe and we continue to take the necessary steps to meet that goal,” Abel said.

The name of the app used to facilitate the threat could not be confirmed by Alvarado. However, multiple message-sending apps for both Apple and Android smart phones have the capability for users to send anonymous messages, including the popular app “Sarahah.”