Student allegedly threatened on Snapchat with gun, noose

MODESTO, CA -- An investigation is underway after a high school student says he was threatened in a Snapchat video that reportedly included a gun and a noose.

The African-American senior at Central Catholic High School knows the student who posted the video, and says someone off camera said his name.

The video was not meant to last long for viewers, posted to Snapchat and meant to self-delete after 24 hours.

The student, however, says he knew how to save the video.

The victim's attorney, Jacq Williams, says it's a threat and a hate crime.

"Above this being a hate crime, this is an issue of safety," Williams says. "It's an issue of responsibility."

The senior student and his mother showed the video to Central Catholic's dean two weeks ago. The school, however, is accused of doing nothing about it.

"He says, 'Mom, he's in my class.' Okay, and Mom is like, 'What do you mean he's in your class?' and he's like, 'Mom, he's an office assistant and he's delivering a message from the office and he's in here."

Jim Pecchenino, president of Central Catholic High School, says he's seen the video and it did not have a firearm in it.

Pecchenino says the school is investigating and working with police.

"You can always second-guess yourself on the immediacy of the situation, certainly in this day and time," Pecchenino says. "We absolutely want our students to feel safe. We want to respond aggressively."

But Williams says the school should have contacted the police immediately and not taken any chances with students' lives.

"In light of the situations going around the count right now gun violence, with acts of terrorism, with people at schools doing mass shootings, I don't think we should take this issue lightly," Williams says.

Modesto police say they are investigating the incident as a hate crime.