MATTAWA — A Wahluke School District middle-schooler was taken into custody on Monday after the student allegedly posted an online threat against a teacher, according to a joint statement issued by the Wahluke School District and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the GCSO portion of the statement, posted Tuesday on the WSD’s website, a 12-year-old male student allegedly posted a photo of what appeared to be a handgun along with a piece of paper covered with expletives and the teacher’s name. GCSO deputies were brought in to investigate and consulted with the Grant County Prosecutor’s office before arresting the suspect, the statement said.

The suspect, who has not been named because of his age, was charged with felony harassment and is currently lodged in Chelan County’s juvenile detention center, the GCSO statement said, adding that the weapon turned out to be a replica and has been booked into evidence.

The WSD did not give the name of the teacher who was the subject of the alleged threats, and said in its portion of the statement that the security of students and staff is one of the district’s top priorities.

“We must take every threat seriously,” the WSD statement said.