Additional law enforcement present at two Polk County schools after social media threat - WLOS
POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — An investigation is underway after another school in Western North Carolina was the target of an online threat.
Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene says parents were notified Sunday night, April 10, of an investigation regarding a threat. He says law enforcement and Polk County Schools administration received a report on Sunday of "messaging on social media regarding a potential violent act at Polk County Early College" Monday, April 11. Officials immediately began investigating the report and determined there was "no reason to believe students and staff will be in any danger attending school."
Polk County Early College is operating on a regular schedule Monday, but Superintendent Greene says additional law enforcement are on scene at Polk County Early College and Polk County High School "out of an abundance of caution."
In the automated statement, Greene said the message was sent to families of both schools due to "the proximity of the two campuses and interaction of student populations."
"As always, we ask that you and your students report to law enforcement or school officials anything you see or hear related to the safety of our students, staff and schools," Sunday's message said.
Polk County Schools is the latest school system in North Carolina to have received threats. On April 7, after a bomb threat led to the evacuation of two schools in Henderson County, Sheriff Lowell Griffin said after speaking with the State Bureau of Investigation, he believes the Henderson County threat may have been connected to similar threats at high schools in North Carolina and across the country.
“It’s my understanding that very similar situations have occurred at 16 different North Carolina high schools encompassing 13 different counties beginning on April 5,” Griffin said during a press conference.
Authorities say the Transylvania County School system and law enforcement were notified of a possible bomb threat at Brevard High School also on April 7. On April 6, Haywood County Schools announced that a bomb threat had been made naming Tuscola High School and implying Waynesville Middle, Canton Middle and Bethel Elementary could be involved. Also on April 6, authorities in Rutherford County announced that they’d identified an individual who had posted a threat on social media directed at East Rutherford High School.
Read the full statement from Polk County Schools that was sent out to parents Sunday night regarding the investigation:
This is an automated message from Superintendent Aaron Greene. Earlier today local law enforcement and district administration received a report of messaging on social media regarding a potential violent act at Polk County Early College tomorrow. Law enforcement and school officials began investigating the report immediately, and that investigation will be ongoing. At this time we have no reason to believe students and staff will be in any danger attending school tomorrow, and Polk County Early College will operate on a regular schedule. Again, Polk County Early College will operate on a regular schedule tomorrow, and we do believe it is safe for students and staff to attend school. Out of an abundance of caution, we will have additional law enforcement at Polk County Early College and Polk County High School. We are contacting Polk County High School families as well given the proximity of the two campuses and interaction of student populations. Should we obtain or receive any additional information that raises concern we will update you immediately.
As always, we ask that you and your students report to law enforcement or school officials anything you see or hear related to the safety of our students, staff and schools. Thank you, and goodbye.
source: https://wlos.com/news/local/polk-county-schools-threat-social-media-western-north-carolina-additional-law-enforcement-polk-county-early-college-high-school-investigation
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