One recent post by Julian Edelman on his Instagram account received an alarming message.
The New England Patriots wideout received a direct message late last month, one warning him that someone in his comment section threatened to "shoot up a school."
Five weeks after the mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Fla., Edelman chose to take the message seriously and alert someone.
"With the emotions of what happened, and I have a kid now, I said, 'holy Toledo, what is going on?'" Edelman said to Ken Belson of the New York Times.
The message read, "I'm going to shoot my school up watch the news." Edelman relayed the comment to his assistant who called 911.
Police traced the message to Port Huron, Mich., and, at the residence, found a 14-year-old boy who confessed to making the threat. Two rifles belonging to his mother were also found in the home.
The boy was charged with making a false report of a threat of terrorism and taken to a juvenile-detention center.
Edelman said he plans to send a care package to the person who informed him of the threatening message.
"He's the real hero," Edelman said.
