COEUR d’ALENE — Coeur d’Alene Police are investigating the threat of a school shooting that prompted safety holds for several area schools Tuesday morning.

According to a release from CDAPD, a Venture Academy student informed a school resource officer at approximately 8 a.m. that another student had made “detailed statements about carrying out a school shooting with the intent of causing mass casualties.”

The suspect specifically identified several local schools and the University of Idaho, the release said.

In response, schools in Coeur d’Alene School District, including Venture Academy, and schools in Lakeland Joint School District 272 were placed on brief safety holds while law enforcement searched for the suspect.

Post Falls School District 273 was not placed on a safety hold, according to district Superintendent Dena Naccarato. 

Safety holds require students and staff to remain inside school buildings but teaching and learning activities are able to continue as usual.

The suspect was located and detained at about 10:15 a.m., and has been identified as an 18-year-old male from Rathdrum.

According to CDAPD, the suspect admitted to making the threats but denied he would have carried them out. Detectives have obtained a search warrant and are working to collect evidence.