Police are investigating what Boise school officials called a “disturbing” online threat against a Timberline High School student.

The Boise Police Department and district officials are saying little about the case, which began to unfold Friday. An online petition describes the threat in detail: In a Snapchat post, members of Timberline’s football team “called for a female student to be raped and killed.”

“This incident is not just about a single event but highlights a pattern of behavior that needs immediate attention and resolution,” according to the petition, which calls for the expulsion of the unidentified students who made the threat.

As of midday Monday, more than 8,200 people have signed the petition.

While the petition calls on school administrators to take “immediate and decisive action,” district officials are deferring to the police department. They say Boise police have asked them “to pause any internal action … so as not to jeopardize” the investigation.

“With an active investigation and the potential involvement of minors, we are limited to what we can share,” Superintendent Wendy Johnson, district Area Director Shelley Bonds and Timberline Principal Chad Wright said in a Sunday evening message to parents and staff. “While respecting privacy limits, we want to be as open, honest and transparent as possible to assure you that there is zero tolerance for the type of behavior and language attributed to any member of our school community. This is not who we are and we will not be defined by the actions of a few.”

On Friday, school officials reported the threat to Boise Police’s school resource officer unit.

“Officers have been in contact with the Boise School District as part of the ongoing investigation,” Boise police said in a statement. “We do not have additional details to share at this time.”

Boise police are asking anyone with information on the case to call (208) 377-6790.

Boise district statement

Here is the district’s full statement from Sunday evening:

Dear Families and Staff,

Thank you to all of you who have contacted us regarding the disturbing social media posts involving several students at Timberline High School. There have also been a number of questions regarding what has or has not been done by school officials and we hope this note will provide some clarity.

We were made aware of the situation on Friday and reported the posts to Boise Police that day. Boise Police asked us to pause any internal action until the reported threats had been reviewed and investigated by law enforcement, so as not to jeopardize any potential criminal investigation. At this time, Boise Police are continuing to investigate, and we are taking definitive steps to ensure the safety, security and privacy of our students and staff. 

With an active investigation and the potential involvement of minors, we are limited to what we can share. While respecting privacy limits, we want to be as open, honest and transparent as possible to assure you that there is zero tolerance for the type of behavior and language attributed to any member of our school community. This is not who we are and we will not be defined by the actions of a few.

We understand that situations like this, where there is a lot of information circulating publicly, but seemingly little official action, are frustrating. And given the explicit content in the posts, emotions like anger, fear and sorrow are natural reactions.

Please know that we are working through this as quickly and as thoughtfully as possible. Boise Police are actively investigating and once completed, we will begin our own. We are implementing the measures available to us under state and federal law to ensure our students are safe and supported and our families and staff are informed. We will share updates on what steps will be taken at Timberline as they become available. More information about our policies regarding sexual misconduct and Title IX are available on our website. 

Once again, thank you to those who have reached out expressing your concern and providing additional information. We can only act when we are made aware. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through this together.

Sincerely,

Chad Wright, Principal

Shelley Bonds, Area Director

Wendy Johnson, Superintendent