A social media post made rounds within the Cedar Ridge High School community and raised fears of a threat to safety on Thursday — but authorities say it was an older photo and investigators determined there is no “credible threat.”
The Orange County Schools system and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued a joint release shortly before 1 p.m. detailing their investigation into the post. According to the message, a parent of a Cedar Ridge High School student contacted school officials after seeing a photo with “a rifle and a threat alleging that violence would occur at ‘CHS.'” Cedar Ridge went into a soft lockdown as the post was studied, with the sheriff’s office joining the high school’s SROs on campus.
Investigators said, however, that the image was a post from 2018 created by someone in New Mexico. The school system and Orange County Sheriff’s Office said despite many students seeing and sharing the post, it matches with similar concerns and threats made in Tennessee on Wednesday — where the photo also made rounds in school districts and caused disruption.
Orange County Schools said despite Cedar Ridge’s community not being in danger, extra security would be on hand at the high school throughout Thursday as a precaution. School is out for the district on Friday in recognition of Good Friday.
Photo via Google Maps.
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