January 29, 2025
I am sharing this press release from the Weston Police Department as the final update on the incident that occurred at Weston High School on January 23. Thanks to the swift and diligent work of the Weston Police Department, the case was resolved efficiently and effectively. We are deeply appreciative of the leadership of Chief Henion and Captain Miceli, who remained actively engaged throughout the incident and the six days that followed. They kept me informed every step of the way and worked closely with the Weston Massachusetts Police Department to ensure a thorough resolution. I wish to thank Detective Mogollon as well. Upon receiving the initial information, Detective Mogollon took immediate and necessary action to trace the IP address, leading directly to the identification of the individual responsible. Detective Mogollon’s quick response and investigative expertise were instrumental in bringing this case to a close as he was able to identify the juvenile in Massachusetts and then share this with the police department there.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the officers of the Weston Police Department for their swift and professional response on the day of the incident. We are incredibly grateful for their unwavering dedication to the safety and security of our schools and community. In addition, I wish to thank the parents who heeded our directions by not driving to the schools, which would have created additional challenges, as we worked through the crisis management phase.
Sincerely,
Lisa Barbiero, Superintendent of Schools
Weston Police Department
Press Release
January 23, 2025
Swatting Threat
On January 28, the Weston Massachusetts Police Department, along with a representative from the FBI interviewed the suspect previously identified by Detective Mogollon. The suspect is a juvenile from a neighboring jurisdiction to Weston Massachusetts. Through the course of the interview, it was learned that the juvenile intended the threats made to be a prank. In order to make the threats appear credible the juvenile conducted an internet search for “Weston High School” teachers. The juvenile did not realize the search results were for our school and not Weston Massachusetts. The threat was made in a closed Instagram group that allowed the juvenile access. A student moderator in the group saw the threat and immediately reported it to the proper authorities, who in turn began an investigation.
The investigators were able to confirm that the juvenile had no intention of threatening our high school, did not know the teacher in any way and has never been to Weston Connecticut. The Weston Massachusetts Police Department is handling all enforcement actions and charges are pending review in the appropriate jurisdiction.
We would like to take this opportunity to commend the Weston Public Schools administrators, staff and most importantly the students for their roles and actions in conducting the off-site evacuation and dismissal. The process could not have been more orderly and went off without any issues. The Weston Public Schools maintain a comprehensive safety and security plan that is regularly exercised and evaluated. This commitment to providing the highest level of safety to our students, educators and guests was clearly evident during this incident. The incident response was also supported by the Weston Volunteer Fire and EMS Departments, Weston Communication Center, First Selectwoman Nestor and our mutual aid regional bomb detection units.
There are no threats to the safety at the Weston Public Schools and this case is effectively closed.
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