A Knoch High School student accused of making online threats to shoot other students was ordered held for court at a preliminary hearing this morning.

District Judge Sue Haggerty of Saxonburg found there was sufficient evidence to hold Jason M. Bowen, 18, of Penn Township for trial on charges of risking a catastrophe, terroristic threats, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A Middlesex Township police officer at the hearing read Bowen's statement given during interview in which he admitted posting a video to social media Jan. 6 showing him firing repeated rounds from a semi-automatic rifle with the caption “Training for Prom Walk.”

Bowen's attorney argued at the hearing that his client never intended to cause alarm and never intended to act on any alleged threat.

He described what the teen did as a “highly inappropriate joke.”

Haggerty also ruled that Bowen's bail remain at $100,000.