A Crestline man is in custody after being accused of posting a social media threat against the Galion School District.
Dennis Heefner, 18, of Crestline, was arrested in the Loveland community in the Cincinnati area this morning on a warrant for making terroristic threats
According to reports, someone from Galion High School called the Galion Police Department at 7:32 a.m. Thursday saying they were aware that someone had posted on social media that he was “bout to shoot up Galion schools.”
After an investigation, police said they determined the message poster was Heefner.
“This is a great example of law enforcement working with each other and with the schools for the protection of our students,” Galion Police Chief Brian Saterfield said. “Immediate action and cooperation led to the quick apprehension of the suspect. Threats made through social media are taken just as seriously as those that are made in person.”
The Crestline Police Department, Bucyrus Police Department and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
“We did not institute the full, district-wide lockdown protocol because the suspect was not in the immediate Galion area,” Galion Superintendent Jim Grubbs said. “However, the Galion Police Department did have officers on campus in multiple capacities and our building staff members were on high alert until the suspect was apprehended.”
Heefner is currently in the custody of the Loveland Police Department, pending formal court proceedings.
“The investigation is ongoing, to include trying to determine the context and nature of the alleged threat,” Saterfield said.
