Lathrop Man Arrested For Hoax Shooting Threat At Las Lomas High

Walnut Creek police have announced an arrest following the threat of a shooting at Las Lomas High School on Feb. 10.

Police said they arrested Demoni Costello, 18, of Lathrop on suspicion of making criminal threats and a false emergency report.

The arrest follows a series of threats against California schools in recent weeks, but is the first to link a specific individual to the crime.

Multiple threats, none of them credible, have been made to schools across the country in recent weeks. The so-called  “swatting” calls were coming from phone numbers that were either spoofed or associated with internet accounts and appear to be consistent with an ongoing wave of phone threats detailing school shootings, bomb threats, and other incidents that have proved to be unfounded.

Shortly after noon on Friday, Feb. 10, Las Lomas High School staff reported getting a phone call threatening a shooting on campus. Walnut Creek Police responded, and had students and staff shelter in place while the campus was thoroughly searched for any threats. No weapons were found on campus, and the lockdown was lifted.

Once the campus was cleared, police say, Walnut Creek Police detectives immediately began investigating possible leads as to who may be responsible for the threat. Detectives were able to identify Demoni Costello as the person allegedly responsible for the threat, but have not yet said what led them to him.

Detectives authored a warrant for Costello’s arrest for felony criminal threats and a misdemeanor for causing a false emergency report.

Costello was arrested today, February 16, and booked into jail at the Martinez Detention Facility, where he is being held on $27,000 bail.

Follow-up investigation is still being conducted to confirm there are no other people involved in this this threat; at this time, there is no additional information available. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844 or call the Anonymous Tip Line at 925-943-5865.