The Ventura Police Department (VPD) is investigating threatening videos that were circulated online and appeared to target students at Buena High School.
On the evening of September 14, 2026, VPD received information about videos depicting the Cat in the Hat character making ominous threats toward students and schools. The videos appeared to be part of a nationwide trend involving similar content.
Ventura Police patrol officers immediately began investigating the source of the videos and identified a possible connection to Buena High School. Ventura Police Detectives and School Resource Officers then continued the investigation, ultimately identifying three Buena High School students as suspects in the creation and dissemination of the videos.
The suspects, two 15-year-olds and one 14-year-old, are all Ventura residents. All three were contacted and arrested for making criminal threats and conspiracy to commit a crime. Two of the three were also arrested for destruction of evidence.
Currently, there is no belief that there is a threat to the school or the community. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Sergeant Fabian Gutierrez with VPD’s Major Crimes Unit at 805-339-4428.
