Bristow High School Graduate Arrested After Threat Reported

Police in Bristow arrested a man for making an online threat against the high school. Braden Avery was taken into custody within hours of the threat being reported.

The threat, posted on Instagram, showed a man holding a gun with the caption - "don't go to school". It was sent to a current high school student, who forwarded it, and eventually another student alerted authorities. Avery graduated from Bristow last year. He was arrested in Broken Arrow, where he lives now.

After a large initial response, "I got as many people as I could up here" said Bristow Police Investigator Kevin Webster, by noon the high school campus was quiet, with no lockdown and no signs of police. The threat came in at the start of school.

Superintendent Curtis Shelton said "With the society we're in, I think you have to take all posts like that seriously."

Investigator Webster said even if the post was intended as a joke, "People need to understand in the day and age we live in, it's not anything to play with, not a funny  joke.

Police remained at each school campus until Avery was in custody. Bristow Schools notified parents ""We have had a social media threat at the high school, but the situation is under control. We have extra law enforcement on site to ensure the safety of all students. We are not on lockdown because there is no immediate threat. This is an ongoing investigation. Student safety is always our number one priority so we are taking extra precautions. Students are safe and having classes as usual."

Bristow Police, Creek County Sheriff's Deputies, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, U-S Marshals and Creek National Lighthorseman responded. The Superintendent said he was pleased with the response.

Braden Avery potentially faces a charge of making a terroristic threat. Webster said "I just hope this will be a lesson to other kids who think things like this are a joke."