The Saline County Sheriff’s Office releases more details about the events that led up to a lockdown at Ell-Saline Junior / Senior High School. According to Captain Roger Soldan, eight students were involved in an online discussion with 18-year-old Joshua Downey of Tescott on Tuesday morning.

The Facebook chat took a chilling turn when Downey allegedly sent a photo of a gun along with a message that alluded that he was coming to the school to start shooting.

The students told a teacher who contacted the school’s resource officer and the lockdown followed.

Captain Soldan tells KSAL News that Ottawa County Deputies arrested Downey at his home without incident and he was transported to Salina.

Authorities did not find the gun pictured in the Facebook post.

Downey, who is not a student at the school, was booked into the Saline County Jail on 8 counts of aggravated criminal threats.

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Original Story:
Threats made via social media led to the lockdown of a Saline County school Tuesday morning, and the arrest of a teen.

According to the Saline County Sheriff’s Office,  at about 10:00 in the morning Ell-Saline Junior / Senior High School was placed into a lockdown. The lockdown was prompted by threats received by several students through social media.

Multiple deputies responded to secure the school, and to search for a known suspect.

The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Joshua Keith Downey, was located in Tescott and arrested. He was booked into the Saline County Jail on multiple charges that could include 8 counts of making criminal threats.

The lockdown lasted for nearly an hour. An all-clear was issued at 10:54.

An investigation is ongoing.