Carpinteria High School Threats Arrest / Carpinteria Unified School District News Release

Carpinteria - October 25th, 2008

On Saturday, October 25, 2008, at approximately 9:00 pm, Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a 9th grade Carpinteria High School student for threatening to kill fellow students and one of his teachers. Earlier in the day, Sheriff’s deputies received information from one of the potential victims that the suspect threatened to bring a handgun to school and shoot five fellow students as well as one of his teachers.

The suspect, who is a transfer student from another school district, felt he was picked on by the targeted students and the teacher.  Detectives were immediately assigned to the case and contacted the suspect and his father at their home in Thousand Oaks. They determined the minor was not in possession of any firearms nor did they find any firearms in the home.

Although it appears the teenager did not have immediate access to firearms, the detectives, after interviewing him, believed the threat was credible and placed the minor into custody. 

The 14-year old was booked into Juvenile Hall in Santa Barbara for Criminal Threats; 422PC, a felony.  The Carpinteria Unified School District and all potential victims were notified.  As of this morning, the suspect is still in custody.

For any questions of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, please contact PIO Drew Sugars at (805) 681-4192.  

Please note that the following page contains information from the Carpinteria Unified School District.

The student will not be returning to school in the Carpinteria Unified School District.

Carpinteria High School parents are being notified. At this writing, all staff in the District are also being notified.  Safety/security procedures at all schools are always being reviewed and will be reviewed again with this occurrence.  What is key is that students always report—immediately—any threatening statements made by fellow students.  Reporting should be to school staff who will then contact the Sheriff’s Department.  If staff are not on campus, reporting should be directly to the Sheriff’s Department.

The Department and the District are working closely to ensure students’/staff’s safety going forward.

For questions of the Carpinteria Unified School District, please contact Superintendent Paul Cordeiro at (805) 684-4511 or Carpinteria High School Principal Gerardo Cornejo at (805) 684-4107. 

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For more information regarding news related issues
please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org