Suffolk County Police have arrested a man in connection with a serious threat made against Half Hollow Hills East High School in Dix Hills.
Ryan Christopher, 42, of Patchogue, was arrested on April 9 after allegedly phoning in threats to shoot and detonate explosives at the school.
Christopher reportedly made menacing calls to the school, located at 50 Vanderbilt Parkway, on April 9. Prompt action by the Second Precinct Crime Section led to Christopher’s arrest near his residence at approximately 3:40 p.m. the same day.
Christopher has been charged with making a threat of mass harm, a misdemeanor, and is set to face arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip Friday.
In response to the situation, Half Hollow Hills School District sent out an email to parents and faculty, saying that a district parent had left several threatening messages on the voicemail of a central office administrator over the weekend. Patrick Harrigan, superintendent of the district, indicated it was a threat towards specific people, not the entire school.
“This past weekend a district parent left several inappropriate messages on the voicemail of a central office administrator including threatening statements towards the administrator and others,” Harrigan wrote. “The district contacted the Suffolk County Police Department and filed a report and has been cooperating with their ongoing investigation.”
