High school football: Top photos from Friday’s biggest games, Oct. 4

• October 5, 2024

It was another exciting Friday night for the high school football teams and fans.

Take a look at the best images captured by the Southern California News Group photographers.

To see all of our stories, scores and more from the games, go to the online High School Sports section.

​ Orange County Register 

10 wolf hybrids rescued in Aguanga head to exotic pet compound

• October 5, 2024

Ten wolf hybrid canines seized during an animal cruelty investigation in Aguanga this summer were bound for an exotic pet shelter in Arizona on Friday, Oct. 4 for permanent placement, sparing them from euthanasia.

The six female and four male dogs were impounded in early August and housed at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus following a Riverside County Department of Animal Services investigation into alleged inhumane treatment.

The exact location of the seizure and the former owner’s identity were not specified. The case is pending adjudication, according to agency spokesman John Welsh.

He said efforts to find a suitable relocation point for the canines were challenging. The breed, which is generally crossed between a gray wolf and German shepherd, is not deemed suitable for adoption.

Wild California at the Magic Jungle Wildlife Preserve near Yucca Valley was considered an option for placement, but operator Kele Younger said, “We just didn’t have the habitat.”

“Approximately 90% of wolf hybrids are euthanized,” Younger said. “It’s hard enough to place one or two, let alone 10. The big problem is that they are too ‘wolfy’ to be a pet and they’re not ‘wolfy’ enough to be in a commercial facility, such as a zoo.”

Younger delved into her network of contacts and connected with Keepers of the Wild in Valentine, Arizona, whose managers agreed to take the dogs, setting the stage for their departure from San Jacinto Friday morning for transportation to the Grand Canyon State.

“Now these little hybrids, against all odds, have endured and survived and are heading to a new, forever home,” she said.

Supervisor Manuel Perez, a member of the county’s Ad Hoc Committee for Continuous Improvement of Animal Services, praised Younger as “an example of a champion of exotic pets of the world.”

“We can’t thank her enough for helping facilitate this rescue transfer,” he said. “This is exactly the type of help we need right now.”

The department is undergoing a reformation to improve operations across the board and reduce what animal activists have alleged was the highest sheltered pet kill rate nationwide.

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​ Orange County Register 

Tom Chomyn, Irvine City Council District 3 candidate, 2024 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2024

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Tom Chomyn

Current job title: Commissioner of Community Services

Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Irvine

Campaign website or social media: www.Tom4Irvine.com

Irvine is in the process of its first major general plan update in well over a decade. Since Irvine has traditionally been a master-planned community, what is your vision for the city as it continues to grow? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

My vision for Irvine’s growth centers on preserving our master plan framework, which has made us the safest city in the U.S. for eight years in a row. We must continue to fund our police department, ensuring they remain one of the highest-paid in Orange County and equipped with advanced technology.

As we grow, improving our transportation system will be crucial, and my background in urban planning will help guide these efforts. By maintaining our planning principles and enhancing public safety and transportation, we can ensure Irvine remains a sustainable, vibrant community.

How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower prices, while also preserving the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

My urban planning background is ideal to help keep the master plan going and add housing for Irvine. Our original city plan is for 375,000 people and we are currently at 315,000. With the housing shortage in the state and affordability being a key issue for most people, we must hit this head-on.

My plan will first come with an extensive transportation plan along with a proper number of affordable housing units. The best places to build up will be in the Spectrum shopping area, Amtrak station district and Irvine Business Center off Jamboree Road. Expanding the Irvine Connection transportation system, encouraging businesses to hire people within Irvine limits and giving credits to apartment dwellers who live and work in Irvine. The goal is to take cars off the streets and freeways.

Irvine has a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. That will take a lot of city outreach to accomplish. Where does climate change fall in your list of priorities? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

One of my top priorities is addressing climate change and achieving Irvine’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2045. I am actively supporting Vice Mayor Larry Agran’s forestation program, which aims to plant over 200,000 trees in the next five years. This initiative will help clean the air and cool our city, particularly in north and central Irvine.

Additionally, I propose offering $5,000 solar rebates to households and apartments to encourage the generation of cleaner energy. These efforts, combined with strong community outreach, are essential to making Irvine a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship.

In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

The biggest need Irvine faces is maintaining our high quality of life while managing growth. To address this, we need to invest in community policing to uphold our outstanding public safety record in District 3 and citywide. We must also push forward with the Great Park framework plan, ensuring it serves the community’s needs. Improving transportation is crucial, particularly as the city expands. Additionally, modernizing and refurbishing our two libraries now under full city responsibility will enhance community services. Finally, we need to reinvest in our treasured District 3 parks — Heritage Park, Deerfield Park, Harvard Athletic Park and Northwood Park — ensuring they continue to be vibrant spaces for our residents.

Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

A good leader listens with both ears and talks less. Leadership involves making tough decisions and acknowledging that it’s impossible to please everyone, but I am committed to working collaboratively with my six fellow councilmembers to achieve the best outcomes for Irvine.

My career has been marked by leadership roles in various projects, community services and athletic boards. One of my proudest achievements was leading the 2019 Irvine Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery petition drive as the field director. I organized over 150 volunteers to gather nearly 20,000 signatures, surpassing our goal and securing 125 acres for the Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery. We are now making progress on designing and building a 20-acre memorial on the old El Toro Marine base. This experience demonstrated my ability to unite and lead our community toward meaningful accomplishments.

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​ Orange County Register 

John Park, Irvine City Council District 1 candidate, 2024 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2024

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: John Park

Current job title: Business Owner

Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: Irvine Transportation Commissioner, Past Irvine Finance Commission Chairman

City where you reside: Irvine

Campaign website or social media: www.johnparkforirvine.com

Irvine is in the process of its first major general plan update in well over a decade. Since Irvine has traditionally been a master-planned community, what is your vision for the city as it continues to grow? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

As a candidate, I am deeply committed to upholding and adhering to our city’s master plan. This plan is not just a document — it has served as a blueprint for our planned community, designed to promote vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods, accessible amenities and a high quality of life for all residents. It outlines a vision that encompasses unique villages, nearby shopping districts, top-notch schools, expansive open spaces and well-maintained parks, all of which are essential components of a thriving and dynamic city like Irvine. As we grow, we must fight to maintain this vision.

How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower prices, while also preserving the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Irvine has built more affordable housing than all Orange County cities combined. I am for continuing this effort with a set aside of 15% of all new housing for affordable units. We also need to innovate in our building of new units, including smaller ownership-based condos, townhomes and single-family homes. I am also for continuing redevelopment of industrial areas to allow for more housing while doing our best to maintain the master plan of Irvine which requires localized schools, shopping, parks and other quality-of-life amenities.

Irvine has a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. That will take a lot of city outreach to accomplish. Where does climate change fall in your list of priorities? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

I am committed to making sustainability an important aspect of our community’s future. To achieve this, we need to implement quantifiable initiatives that allow us to measure our progress and hold ourselves fiscally accountable. This includes setting clear targets for increasing energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy sources. By tracking our achievements, we can ensure that our efforts are both effective and transparent, providing real environmental benefits while fostering a culture of responsibility and stewardship. We must also ensure that our sustainability programs are designed to benefit everyone without imposing undue burdens on our residents and businesses.

In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Public safety: Public safety is my top priority. I’ll collaborate with police to combat retail theft, home burglaries and fentanyl intrusion. I’ll ensure school safety and champion comprehensive e-bike safety standards.

Affordability: Everyday expenses have skyrocketed for everyone. I will fight for affordability, including keeping taxes low, fees down and stopping new expenses that burden residents.

District priorities include wildfire prevention, protection from environmental hazards, sustainable infrastructure, traffic mitigation, pedestrian and bike safety and developing Gateway Preserve with world-class amenities while preserving our open space.

Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

I am a 24 year resident of my District. I am a husband and a Dad to 3 wonderful kids. I am an immigrant. I am also the product of public schools and subsidized housing. I know first hand the experiences that make up our diverse communities. Also as an Irvine Transportation Commissioner and former Irvine Finance Commission Chairman, Orange County Food Bank board member, and as founder of an award-winning business, I am uniquely qualified to serve. I have executed multi-million dollar business plans, worked with partners worldwide, and created opportunities for thousands. In the community, I have served as HOA President, supported PTAs, and I am an active Rotarian where I currently serve as the foundation President.

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​ Orange County Register 

Sergi Palencia continues to deliver the passion for LAFC

• October 5, 2024

Sergi Palencia began this season for the Los Angeles Football Club the way he ended the last: contributing in small doses off the bench. Then, after limited minutes over the first four games of 2024, the fullback became a fixture in Steve Cherundolo’s lineup, starting 35 of the 40 matches his name has appeared on a gameday roster.

Coming off a jam-packed September that delivered soaring Open Cup highs and cavernous El Trafico lows, Palencia’s efforts during the club’s half dozen matches made him the internal choice for player of the month.

The 28-year-old Spaniard may not have had a goal or assist (he hasn’t scored in 2024 but has assisted four times), but his reliable work and competitive edge playing multiple positions over that stretch has been noticed by the group, Cherundolo said on Friday.

“He has been doing that since his arrival,” said the LAFC coach. “It’s not just fair to point out September with him. I think he’s been amazing all season long. Defensively. Offensively.”

For his part, Palencia isn’t crazy about individual recognition in a team sport. But he won’t deny being grateful for the confidence and enjoyment that those accolades can bring. He is, however, a huge fan of passion. And as LAFC attempts to close out the Major League Soccer regular season in a strong way leading into the postseason, the passion needed to do that has been prevalent.

“I think we are playing with emotions that, for us, is very important,” Palencia said. “We are a team that needs this to be our best version. When we play at home, of course, we have this because our fans give us this. But away we are finding passions. We are winning duels. We are enjoying defending. That’s the key.”

That was clear last weekend in Cincinnati, when LAFC hung tough and earned three points days after becoming the only MLS team since 2019 to win four major trophies.

“It was a very intense month, that’s true, and a very successful month,” Palencia said. “With the win in Cincinnati, I think it was huge for us. The [draw] we played in Houston with all the international guys out, this also gives us confidence. And of course the U.S. Open Cup final, being the champs, raising the first trophy of the season is amazing.

“We have to use this energy until the end.”

Wrapping up a stretch of eight games in 29 days on Saturday, LAFC will need an emotional charge as they face Sporting Kansas City, the side they vanquished 3-1 to claim the Open Cup.

“They’re ready to push one more time before we shut them down for a couple days,” Cherundolo said of his players. “Their training was intense [on Friday], so we’ll look for more of the same against SKC.”

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Palencia played 120 minutes during the final on Sept. 25, but on March 9 he didn’t see the field when SKC (8-17-7, 31 points) and LAFC (16-8-7, 55 points) produced a scoreless draw in their regular season meeting at BMO Stadium.

Opening LAFC’s October slate with a 1-0 home win against St. Louis City on Wednesday — suspended for yellow card accumulation, it was one of three matches this year that Palencia could not be selected by Cherundolo — the Black & Gold face SKC in search of a fourth straight win.

That will require denying 15-year head coach Peter Vermes a small measure of Open Cup revenge as he manages his 600th match in all competitions for SKC, their 2024 home finale after failing to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs.

LAFC AT SPORTING KANSAS CITY

When: Saturday, 5:39 p.m.

Where: Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas

TV/Radio: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass/710 AM, 980 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Freddie Freeman checks final boxes, expected to be in Dodgers’ lineup

• October 5, 2024

LOS ANGELES – When Freddie Freeman sprained his ankle during the Dodgers’ last regular-season home game, he said the team’s medical staff told him the severity of the injury would normally require a four- to six-week stay on the Injured List.

“I’m going to try to do this in a week and play,” Freeman said during the Dodgers’ workout Friday afternoon.

Nine days removed from the injury, Freeman is expected to be in the Dodgers’ starting lineup for Game 1 of their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

“I’m expecting him to be in the lineup,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “What that looks like, I guess we’ll know when we see him out there. But with Freddie, I don’t doubt that he’ll be ready to go.

“I expect him to be our first baseman.”

Roberts did even want to discuss the possibility of Freeman not being able to play.

“I really don’t want to let my mind go there,” Roberts said, before acknowledging Freeman would be on the roster in a pinch-hit role with Max Muncy the likely replacement at first base.

Freeman has slowly increased his activity in the past two days. He had been hitting in the batting cage. On Thursday, he took part in the Dodgers’ simulated game – but only batting. He did not break out of the box or run the bases and did not play defense.

On Friday, though, he did all of that, going through running and defense drills under the watchful eye of the Dodgers’ training staff. As he walked off the field to attend a hitters’ meeting, Freeman said “I’m good” as he passed reporters.

“So, I’ve hit. I’ve hit batting practice inside. I did the sim game yesterday,” he said. “The last two (boxes to check) was taking ground balls and running bases. That was my last couple checkboxes, and I was able to do that today.”

Freeman missed a total of 11 games in the previous five seasons. But an assortment of challenges this year – his son’s illness, a hairline fracture in the index finger on his right hand and now the sprained ankle – forced him to miss 15 games.

“I’ve never sprained an ankle before,” he said. “So that was the hardest thing – I didn’t know. And they say your first sprained ankle is the worst.

“It doesn’t matter. Tomorrow – who cares? No one is going to worry about me (being hindered) or anything like that tomorrow. We just gotta win ballgames and that’s my focus tomorrow.”

GAME TWO

Right-hander Yu Darvish will start Game 2 for the Padres – and at least one person was disappointed that he won’t be facing Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

“Darvish has been my childhood hero,” Shohei Ohtani said through his interpreter. “I’ve seen him play in Japan and obviously in Major League Baseball.

“And my personal hope was that Darvish would have faced off against Yoshinobu. Obviously that’s not going to happen this time around, but I’m very honored and excited to be able to face him.”

GLASNOW PLAN

Right-hander Tyler Glasnow has been with the team this week. He has not been throwing and isn’t sure when he will resume. He said it is likely that he will have “re-imaging” done on his injured right elbow.

After that, he might have a more definitive plan of treatment for the offseason. But he does not think surgery is going to be necessary.

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“I feel good right now,” Glasnow said. “I think I’ll know when I start throwing, you know what I mean? … I feel good right now, but I think it’s always such an up and down with the arm. So I thought I was gonna feel good here, and then this happened. But I think with that time in the off season and re-imaging and just like kind of compare and contrast, I think I’ll be good, just with all that time and being able to do all this stuff and build up, I think I’ll be good.”

Watching the Dodgers play on without him has been difficult, he said.

“It’s already hit me hard,” Glasnow said. “Even not playing the rest of the regular season games is really hard for me. But it’s nice to be around and, like, support the guys. And it does suck not to play, but all I can do is sit here and just kind of support them.”

​ Orange County Register 

Big Sho on the big stage: How will Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani perform in first postseason?

• October 5, 2024

LOS ANGELES – Dave Roberts has said it about a number of topics or players over the years, mixing Yogi Berra-level wordcraft with a touch of Casey Stengel wisdom.

“You don’t know until you know.”

After seven seasons in the major leagues and two – about to be three – MVP awards, the last unknown about Shohei Ohtani is how he will perform in the postseason. He avoided October for six seasons with the Angels and cited the chance to play for a championship as his No. 1 reason for signing with the Dodgers last winter.

He will get his first chance to prove himself on the postseason stage starting Saturday when the Dodgers open their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.

“I think there’s always unknowns when something hasn’t happened. But it’s a fairly comfortable position to be in, in that I have a lot of confidence that he will do well,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “Obviously he flourished down the stretch. I talked about this when we signed him. But watching him in the World Baseball Classic (in 2023) … what you don’t know about someone until you see them in those moments is just what kind of competitor are they? And he more than answered those questions for Samurai Japan, especially in that ninth inning (closing out the championship game). I got goosebumps watching that inning. And I think the whole world got to see what an incredible competitor he is.”

Friedman said Ohtani’s “ability to slow everything down around him is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“Playing meaningful baseball in September, and the way he was able to channel that and just lock in and take everything to another level is very, very unique,” Friedman said.

Ohtani made it clear he has no doubts about his readiness to perform in the postseason. He was asked during Friday’s press conference if he was nervous at all about playing in the postseason for the first time. He answered in English without waiting for the question to be translated.

“Nope,” he said.

Ohtani called it “really a mixed, complicated feeling not being able to participate in the postseason” over the past six years particularly while recovering from his first Tommy John surgery in October 2018.

“It’s always been my childhood dream to be able to be in an important situation, to play in important games,” he said in Japanese. “So I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else that I could possibly feel.”

Ohtani roared into the postseason by going 31 for 61 (.508) with eight doubles, seven home runs, 18 runs scored, 26 RBIs and 11 stolen bases over the final 14 games of the regular season.

Ohtani was certainly fueled by his drive for 50-50. But the Dodgers prefer to look at Ohtani’s two-week push as a response to playing meaningful games in September for the first time in his career.

“I think it’s a preview,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Because you just don’t know. These are very, very playoff-driven games that we’ve played in and you just don’t know how a player is going to react. If they’re going to get overzealous, overanxious. But he has really balanced those emotions perfectly and performed remarkably. I think that’s what we’re going to see this postseason.”

Not even the Padres have anything to say about it.

Their manager, Mike Shildt, was asked at Friday’s workout how the Padres would approach pitching to Ohtani and try to limit the damage he can do.

“I’m not telling you,” Shildt said with a laugh.

“He’s a great player. He’s having an historic year. But we feel good about our plan, and the plan is just as good as the execution. I feel confident we’ll execute as well.”

While Shildt wouldn’t divulge the concepts of a plan the Padres might have, walking Ohtani comes with its risks. He did steal 59 bases this season including his last 36 without being caught. And the man batting behind him, Mookie Betts, has done some damage when Ohtani has been walked in front of him.

“You think about it, how to navigate that in a couple of different ways,” Shildt said of Ohtani who was 15 for 46 (.326) with six doubles and a home run — and seven walks – in 12 games against the Padres this season. “Just broad strokes, without getting into anything that’s really strategic overly – but you look up and, yeah, you want to take Shohei out of the equation. But … just like when you bunt somebody, who are you bunting him over for? Are they going to be able to get him in? You usually put somebody on because you like the match-ups better behind them and you’ve got two MVP-caliber guys right behind him (Betts and Freddie Freeman).

“A lot of times we have a lefty on Ohtani, which we prefer, the numbers bear that out, and we like our lefties. And I’m not a guy that likes to run from competition a whole lot. We clearly tip our hat and he’s clearly a very exceptional player, but I believe in our guys, too.

“So it’s what competition is about, and there may be a time this series where we tell him to go down the road (intentional walk) and we take on Mookie and see what that looks like. But it will be really situational-based, but we feel confident that we have the ability to get Ohtani out.”

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Regardless of how the Padres approach Ohtani, the onus will be on Betts and Freeman to erase the memory of last year’s combined 1 for 21 in the NLDS loss to the Diamondbacks.

Freeman will be limping into the series with a sprained right ankle – upping the pressure on Betts to be a threat behind Ohtani.

“It weighs on him,” Roberts said of Betts who was 0 for 10 last year and is 2 for his past 29 in the postseason. “It’s still hard to get hits, but he’s going to do everything he can to change that narrative. He has performed in the postseason, but I guess the last couple or whatever – I still believe in him.”

​ Orange County Register 

Why the rise in students’ school threats alarms Southern California law enforcement

• October 5, 2024

In Riverside this September, a 13-year-old boy found himself locked up in Juvenile Hall after middle school parents reported an Instagram post depicting a student with a firearm and a list of classmates’ names.

Then, at a Riverside high school, a 15-year-old girl was arrested after students in a group chat on Instagram shared a photo of guns along with a message suggesting violence toward a classmate.

And in another example of what law enforcement officials and safety experts say is a nationwide increase of threatening behavior toward students and schools this fall, a boy was incarcerated after Riverside County sheriff’s officials said he threatened students in Jurupa Valley.

That Moreno Valley resident was 12 years old.

Officer Ryan Railsback, a Riverside Police Department spokesman, said detectives have investigated four threats since school started in mid-August.

“It’s rare when we have even one,” Railsback said, “but to have four in the first month and a half of school is outrageous. I can’t think of a school year where we have had this many over such a short span of time.”

Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Aaron Avila, who coordinates the school resource officers — deputies on campus — for the Jurupa Valley station, said he has been comparing notes with his counterparts in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

“We’re all seeing the same stuff,” Avila said. “The last couple of weeks, there is an increase.”

Safer Schools Together is a national organization that provides training and consultation to schools and law enforcement on digital and behavioral threats. Its founder, Theresa Campbell, has been studying the topic for 30 years.

Campbell estimated from their research that 700 threat arrests have been made nationwide since Sept. 4, when two teachers and two students were slain at a Georgia high school.

Campbell said she doesn’t like the term “copycat” because each student’s situation is different and each threat must be assessed on its own.

But she added: “This is definitely the greatest and the highest number of imitator threats that we have been seeing.”

Sebastian Bailey Villasenor talks with attorney Daniel DeLimon before pleading guilty to one count of witness intimidation on May 30, 2024, in Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga. Prosecutors say Villasenor had an obsession with school shootings and planned to kill classmates at Ontario Christian High until he was arrested. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)

Motives behind the threats

The reasons are varied, including kids being kids and students wanting to get out of going to school, she said.

Sometimes, they say they made threats “Because I can. I didn’t even think about it,” Campbell said.

“It’s often a cry for help. They have other things going on in their lives, and they use this behavior to catch others’ attention,” Campbell said.

Said Railsback: “A lot of them just say they are joking around and they thought it was funny. We’re here to tell them it is the furthest thing from funny.”

Even though no students locally have followed through on the threats with actual violence, their actions have taken a toll: Jacquie Paul, spokeswoman for the Jurupa Valley Unified School District, said school attendance decreases when threats are made because worried parents keep their children home.

Avila said a recent threat resulted in a dozen calls to his office from parents wanting to know what he was going to do about it. These threats have prompted the Sheriff’s Department to move deputies from one school to another.

Railsback talked about a student, who upon learning of a threat, begged her mother to pick her up from school and then didn’t want to go the next day.

“To have that fear in a child who is going to school to learn and have fun, to have something like this disrupt this one kid is unacceptable, let alone hundreds,” Railsback said.

How images become criminal

These threats are made verbally and on social media. Increasingly, Railsback said, someone from hundreds or thousands of miles away will post a photo of a weapon on social media that will get shared and reshared by students. It becomes a crime, Railsback said, when a student adds text to the image that suggests an attack will target a specific school, classmate or staff member.

Threatening images that listed the Texas cities of Martin and Arlington were misinterpreted as threats to Riverside’s Martin Luther King High and Arlington High, Railsback said.

One threat in Riverside mentioned names of classmates and another a school principal. The image that resulted in the arrest of the 15-year-old girl came from a post created in Indiana, Railsback said.

It’s also a crime when someone promises a specific action, Avila said, such as “I’m going to be at school tomorrow and everyone I see I will shoot.”

It doesn’t take much time for these threats to spread, Avila said.

“One of the things that is happening is that a lot of kids are doing what we call copycat stuff,” Avila said. “They will see a post and some take screen shots of the post and are editing them and superimposing information on the photo. They will show friends or pass it around and before we know it, that screen shot is spreading like wildfire and setting all the alarms off.”

Those alarms trigger action under what Riverside County calls its STAR Protocol, or School Threat Assessment and Response program

When what is perceived as a threat is reported, investigators will determine who is responsible. That student will be contacted at home or school, and their parents will be contacted as well and their homes searched for weapons Railsback said. Parents will be asked if their children suffer from mental health problems, and services will be offered. Anything remotely threatening gets investigated.

“Even the ones that aren’t crimes, we are going to verify,” Railsback said. “I wouldn’t say it’s zero tolerance, but if you made the threat, you will get booked.”

Campbell said arrests provide an opportunity for early intervention that can possibly prevent more serious crimes.

Ontario police arrested Ontario Christian High student Sebastian Bailey Villaseñor in February after learning about his obsession with school shootings that included posing for selfies with his father’s rifles and researching police response times and what type of bullets could pierce protective vests.

After questioning, Villaseñor, who was 18 at the time of his arrest, was charged as an adult with attempted murder despite not having fired a shot. Although Villaseñor eventually pleaded guilty only to intimidating a witness, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said he believes the prosecution may have prevented something worse.

Villaseñor was ordered to undergo psychological counseling as part of his sentence.

What happens after an arrest

In Riverside County, the punishment a student younger than 18 could face will vary depending upon the seriousness of the threat.

Officials would review police reports and assess whether the juvenile needs to be detained during the court process, said Joe Doty, a Riverside County Probation Department deputy chief probation officer.

The juvenile would be evaluated by the county’s Behavioral Health Department within 24 hours of the arrest and then face a detention hearing in juvenile court. Charges could be dismissed, or the juvenile could be sentenced to probation, diverted into a program or incarcerated at Juvenile Hall, Doty said.

How parents can help

Officials called on parents to monitor their children’s social media activities and report anything concerning to law enforcement.

“By having open communication between parents and the kids, it will help curb some of these school violence threats,” Avila said.

Jurupa Valley Unified officials plan to reinforce that message during Digital Citizenship Week, Oct. 14-18, Paul said.

The best thing a student can do if they see a threatening image, Railsback said, is to resist the temptation to hit the “share” button.

“Show your parents, show your teachers, share it with law enforcement, but don’t share it with your friends,” Railsback said.

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​ Orange County Register