KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prosecutors charged a 19-year-old Blue Springs man who allegedly made threats of mass murder on Snapchat, prompting the closures of seven Kansas City-area districts on Wednesday.
According to court documents, the Blue Springs Police Department received an anonymous report from woman about a post she'd seen on Snapchat.
The post read, "Mental Health is important I’m gonna start killing people mass murdering don’t test your luck w me never know u might be the reason for the next big event."
The woman who reported the post also identified the man to police.
After receiving the tip, the department contacted the FBI for assistance.
The detective who received the tip also notified the Blue Springs School District, because summer school was in session and it wasn't immediately clear to where the threat was directed.
Using the information from the Snapchat post, the FBI matched a cell phone number with the account and issued a letter of preservation to Snapchat.
An IP address was developed along with the cell phone number, which was associated with T-Mobile.
Investigators used the phone number to ping the cell phone's location to the 1100 block Southwest 23rd Street in Blue Springs.
Police deemed the man, who later surrendered to police at the residence, as a person of interest in a suspected crime.
He admitted to having access to multiple guns.
Treshawn M. Hardridge is charged with one count of first-degree making a terrorist threat, a class D felony. There is no minimum sentence for Class D felony in Missouri, which is punishable by up to seven years in jail.
Editor’s Note: In our coverage of charges associated with today’s school threats, we are choosing to name the suspect in today’s reporting but will refrain from naming him in future reports. Additionally, we will not be using his mug shot in accordance with the KSHB 41 Mug Shot Policy.
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
