Continuing a recent string of school districts that have received reports about social media posts referencing violence on school campuses, Orange County Schools are on high alert and are investigating “vague” posts on Friday.
A release shared by the school district and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said personnel with each are working together to examine and investigate some posts and images reported on Thursday night that made reference to “a possible threat to school safety.” The alert said no credible threat to Orange County Schools has been identified as of Friday morning.
The sheriff’s office, however, said there are additional law enforcement officers patrolling and monitoring Orange County Schools campuses on Friday out of “an abundance of caution.”
“When there is a credible or actual threat to safety,” read the joint statement, “be assured that both Orange County Schools and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office will keep schools and the community informed and take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of students and staff.”
The investigation comes after the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district saw some of its schools mentioned in a social media post earlier in the week, which similarly made threats of violence toward multiple school communities in North Carolina. A pair of juveniles were arrested in the greater Charlotte area over the posts and CHCCS administrators sent a message to families on Tuesday night alerting them to incident, saying investigators believe the posts did not represent “a credible threat in the Charlotte area, or here in Chapel Hill-Carrboro.”
Additionally, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office had two consecutive days where its office was tipped off to social media posts suggesting there could be violence at local schools. Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said while investigators found no credible threat from the posts, he warned that making such allusions or references online is a serious crime and his office would pursue all possible actions whenever such threats arise.
Orange County Schools, as well as the sheriff’s office, recommend anyone who has information regarding a potential threat to school safety reaches out to school leadership directly. You can also contact law enforcement or use the ‘Say Something’ Anonymous Reporting System to alert authorities.
Featured photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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