VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach police are investigating after a threat was made online to shoot up the Virginia Aquarium.
It happened back on August 23, according to a search warrant.
It states the social media director at the Virginia Aquarium got a message on Instagram that read, “Accept request or we will shoot up your establishment on a rando day I have enough rage in my (sic) to end your life of aqua.”
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Leaders at the Virginia Aquarium said they immediately contacted police and are grateful for the swift investigation. They said they’ve always had 24/7 security and surveillance.
Gregg Tennefoss is the Tidewater Community College IT Department Chair and a cyber expert. He said, “I'd be really concerned, but there's no way for any of us to know if it was credible or not.”
Police can try to track down the person on the other end of the threat. However, Tennefoss said there are ways to hide account information, which makes it difficult to find the suspect.
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The Anti-Defamation League reported that online hate and harassment rose sharply in 2023. They said 52% of adults reported being harassed online in their lifetime, up from 40% in 2022.
The FBI warns that issuing a threat via text message, e-mail, or even over social media is a federal crime with a punishment of up to five years in prison. A person responsible for making threats can also face state or local charges.
“I think when they catch anyone who's made a threat, there should be consequences because it costs time and money to go after them, even if the person doesn’t mean it. I think there should be consequences once they catch them,” said Stella Eubanks, a local Virginia Beach resident.
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Virginia Beach police say if businesses receive these kinds of threats, they should report them immediately to law enforcement.
They said victims should also save as much related evidence as they can to help officers with the investigation.
Police say the threat is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.
