MS Coast teen arrested after Snapchat post threatened shooting at high school, police say

Authorities arrested a teenager on Sunday in connection to a social media post that threatened to “shoot up” D’Iberville High School, police said.

Robert Dale Murray, 18, is facing a charge of making terroristic threats. Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies arrested him Sunday evening in Biloxi, according to Hanna Hendry, a public information officer for the sheriff’s office. Jail records show Murray is being held in the Harrison County jail on a $50,000 bond.

D’Iberville Police Chief Marty Griffin said the department began investigating over the weekend after a post on the social media app Snapchat threatened to “shoot up” the high school on Monday morning.

Hendry said Murray allegedly posted the threat on Sunday. She said authorities later arrested Murray at his home in Biloxi without incident.

Griffin said Murray had attended North Woolmarket Elementary & Middle School but was not a student at D’Iberville High School. Hendry said it was unclear if Murray attended high school elsewhere on the Coast.

Schools across the county are operating as normal on Monday. Griffin said authorities believe all local schools are safe and sent extra officers to the high school as a precaution.

“We will always do that anytime we have some type of threat,” he said.

In a statement, Harrison County School District Superintendent William Bentz said the district would “continue to work with our law enforcement partners and take all necessary steps to ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone.”

“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community is always our top priority, and we have worked closely with local law enforcement agencies to address the situation swiftly,” Bentz said in the statement. “We also appreciate the vigilance of our students, staff, and community members who reported their concerns.”

Murray could face up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted of the charge.

The threat was one of several in recent months that have left some families and teachers on edge. Authorities arrested a 16-year-old in September after the teenager allegedly called Harrison Central High School twice to threaten a shooting. D’Iberville Middle School canceled a dance last fall after an untraceable shooting threat. Local school districts and police departments also repeatedly sought to reassure nervous parents that a national hoax threat spreading on social media last fall was not a credible danger to any Mississippi Coast schools.

This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 11:56 AM.