Portsmouth High School shooting threat suspect arrested

PORTSMOUTH — Kyle Hendrickson, the 25-year-old suspect accused of threatening to shoot up Portsmouth High School in a social media video, was apprehended by authorities in Portland, Maine, Thursday, according to Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport. 

Hendrickson, who is known for a history of incidents with local law enforcement, was believed to be the only person involved with the incident, Newport said. The chief said Hendrickson did not attend Portsmouth High School. All city schools were closed Thursday after Portsmouth police received a tip about the threatening video around 6 p.m. Wednesday. 

Hendrickson was identified by Portsmouth police Thursday as the suspect who allegedly posted a video on Snapchat of himself with a gun seated in a vehicle outside Portsmouth High School. He said, “Imma gonna shoot up the school,” in the video, according to police. Newport said the FBI reported the video to Portsmouth police Wednesday evening, starting the local investigation.

Newport said Hendrickson was located at a Portland residence and taken into custody by Portland police around 2 p.m. Thursday. He is being charged with criminal threatening with a firearm, a Class B felony, and is being held by Portland police as a fugitive from justice.

Assisting police in Portland were the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. 

Portland police said Thursday Hendrickson was being held at the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department and will have an initial court appearance in Cumberland County Superior Court on Friday.

Never miss a story: Follow local news on the Seacoastonline mobile app or the Fosters.com mobile app

Authorities tracked his location using social media posts, Newport said.

“Through our investigation, we tracked down associates of his through social media and were able to pinpoint him to the area of Portland,” he said. 

Portsmouth schools to reopen Friday

All Portsmouth schools will reopen for classes on Friday, according to the chief.

"The impact of closing schools today was not taken lightly, but this allowed the police department to focus on the investigation to identify and locate the suspect," Portsmouth police announced in a news release. "We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience as we worked to keep the school community safe."

"We have been in continuous communication with the Portsmouth school administration, and we are both in agreement that the school community is safe to return back to school in Portsmouth tomorrow," police stated. "The school will be sending out a communication soon and preparing to welcome students and staff back to school."

The incident in Portsmouth came just over two weeks after a deadly school shooting in Nashville that claimed the lives of six people, including three 9-year-old students. In that massacre at the Covenant School, the shooter was killed by police minutes after making entry to the building.

"Fortunately we were able to get ahead of this one, be proactive and investigate this threat to the point where we canceled schools as a cautionary measure to ensure that our schools are safe," Newport said.

FBI, DEA and local law enforcement have been working with Portsmouth police in the case, the chief said.

What we know about Kyle Hendrickson's local criminal history

Newport said Hendrickson has "been arrested by a lot of different communities in the region."

In December 2020, Hendrickson was arrested and charged in Rochester in connection with a March 2020 Old Dover Road car crash that injured five people. He was a Berwick, Maine, resident at the time. He faced five second-degree assault charges in the single-vehicle rollover crash that resulted in one teenager being transported to a Boston hospital via medflight.

According to court records, Hendrickson pleaded guilty on April 22, 2022, to five counts of vehicular assault as part of a negotiated deal with prosecutors. The second-degree assault charges were dropped. He received a 12-month jail sentence, which was suspended for two years on all five counts (to be served concurrently) and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of up to $100,000. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and participate in counseling, treatment or educational programs.

The Rochester crash case was reopened Sept. 16, 2022, and there was a hearing on Jan. 25 for a violation of a court order.

North Berwick, Maine, police said they arrested Hendrickson in February 2023 and charged with him with operating under the influence.

Somersworth police arrested Hendrickson on Feb. 12, 2020 on the charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest or detention, and carrying or selling a weapon (brass knuckles). He was released on personal recognizance bail, but failed to show up at court and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, police said.

Hendrickson turned himself in to the police on Aug. 26, 2020 and given a new court date. The charges of disorderly conduct and carrying an illegal weapon were not processed. He pleaded guilty to the resisting arrest/detention and was fined $434.

The Berwick Police Department noted that Hendrickson grew up in town, though the department was uncertain where he lives presently. When he was a minor, according to town police, there were 16 juvenile charges filed against him by the department, the details of which were not provided.

How Portsmouth school officials reacted to threat

The city closed all schools on Thursday due to the online shooting threat, according to an alert the school district sent out Wednesday evening.

Zach McLaughlin, superintendent of schools for SAU 52 (Portsmouth schools), notified district families of the decision late Wednesday night, informing the school community about the threat to “shoot up” the high school.

“As we are not currently in a position to feel that the threat is yet resolved, we need to make a decision regarding tomorrow’s school day,” McLaughlin wrote. “Out of an abundance of caution and a commitment to the safety of our school community, all Portsmouth schools will be closed tomorrow, April 13th. As the situation develops, I will be sure to provide you with updates as I am able.”

McLaughlin’s message to the district community was sent out shortly after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“Finally, I just want to acknowledge the emotions of a moment like this,” McLaughlin added in his note. “It can be laced with fear, anger, and sadness. Amid this challenging time, we appreciate your support as we do our best to keep our students and staff safe.”

When reached for comment Wednesday night, McLaughlin could not disclose the details of the video, including who it appeared to be made by, what social media platform it was posted on and whether there was a direct threat made against any person in particular, due to the ongoing investigation.

On Thursday afternoon, McLaughlin applauded collaborative police efforts to track down Hendrickson.

“Their skill and tenaciousness helped resolve the issue and put us in a position to re-open our schools,” he wrote in an alert to school system families on Thursday. “Their ongoing collaboration can not be overvalued.”

Portsmouth schools will have an increased police presence on Friday morning as students return to classes, and the district will have New Hampshire's Mobile Crisis Response Team on hand.

“Thank you to our families, students, and staff for your ongoing patience and support,” McLaughlin continued. “These are challenging moments, but they are also opportunities to show the strength, grit, and unity of the greater Portsmouth community.”

In December, the Portsmouth and Dover school districts were two of several across the state to be the target of hoax school shooting calls, prompting lockdowns and police responses in public school systems around New Hampshire. The month prior, a minimum of 10 Maine schools, including Sanford High School, received similar unsubstantiated threats. Such false reports are referred to as swatting. 

Commentary from Oyster River sophomore:We students are taking a stand on school shootings:. Will government hear us?

More:Police respond to hoax calls of school shooters in Portsmouth and Dover

In Maine:How hoax school shooting calls in Sanford, across Maine caused chaos

The New Hampshire Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management stated Thursday morning that it was aware of the threat.

“All threats are taken seriously until such time as their validity is determined,” the department wrote in its release. “Everyone is encouraged to report any suspicious activity to their local law enforcement agency.”

Karen Dandurant contributed to this report.