A 14-year-old boy from Zaandam is no longer a suspect in a threat case involving Pascal Zuid secondary school in Zaandam. The VMBO school received online threats at the beginning of this month. In an e-mail to employees of the school, someone wrote that he wanted to hurt students and teachers. Pictures of a firearm were also attached.
A day later it was announced that the police had arrested the 14-year-old boy. He was detained for a day, but the criminal investigation has now shown that he had nothing to do with the threat.
The Public Prosecution Service reports that it has emerged that the boy’s telephone number did play a role in the threats, but that he was a victim of spoofing. The number was used improperly by someone else.
The threats were eventually made by email. Due to the ongoing investigation and the age of the boy, the OM does not want to say what the connection is between the ‘spoofed’ telephone number and the threatening e-mail.
Two youths still in custody
Two other suspects, boys aged 14 and 15 from Zaandam, have now been brought before the examining magistrate. He has decided that they will remain stuck. Sending a threatening e-mail is punishable by law, even if the threat is not carried out. The research into it continues.
After the threat, Pascal Zuid, another secondary school in the building and a nearby primary school decided to remain closed. The students were taught online as much as possible.
