Student Arrested on Suspicion of Criminal Threats

A student from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of making criminal threats based on some statements written in a journal, authorities said.

According to Lt. John Wolak of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lomita Station, no guns or other weapons were recovered from the student, who was only publicly identified as an 18-year-old male.

"Right now, it's just a verbal and written threat (with) nothing to really back it up," Wolak told Patch.

Administrators notified the sheriff's station after a teacher discovered "disturbing things" written as part of a class assignment, Wolak said.

"(Students) kept a journal, and in the journal, he had written some disturbing things that a teacher noticed and reported to the administration," he said.

In an email sent to the Peninsula High School community, principal Mitzi Cress called any measures taken "precautionary."

"At no time were students or staff in danger, and there were no weapons on campus," she wrote. "Thanks to our campus security, Lomita Sheriff and Peninsula staff, the situation was handled immediately."