New York, Dec 24 (IANS): An 18-year-old has been jailed in Montana for threatening to shoot a Facebook friend for disclosing a subplot from newly-released 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' a media report said.

Arthur Charles Roy was arrested on suspicion of assault with a weapon, a felony offense, after he threatened to shoot a student for divulging a plot line from the American epic space opera in a Facebook conversation on December 17, the Guardian reported on Wednesday.

After reading comments about the subplot, Roy became "angry" and is alleged to have posted a photo of himself holding a gun that he indicated is a Colt 1911 with a "hair trigger", according to a probable cause affidavit. Roy then wrote about "coming to find" the student and "shoot him" during lunchtime, according to authorities.

"The victim was afraid it was a legitimate threat, said Melissa Broch, a deputy attorney for Lewis and Clark county. "The victim believed that the defendant might come to his school and harm him."

The Facebook photo and threats were deleted shortly after they were posted, but others who had seen the exchange reported the matter to the school the next day. The school was placed on lockdown.

Roy was arrested on December 18. However, his mother claimed that the 18-year-old was only brandishing a "BB gun" -- a type of air gun designed to fire spherical projectiles.

The Lewis and Clark county justice court on December 21 ordered that Roy be held on a $10,000 bail.