Unsubstantiated social media threat disrupts two Alaska schools

Bartlett High School successful Anchorage. Photo by Daysha Eaton, KSKA – Anchorage.

An further constabulary serviceman was stationed astatine Bartlett High School successful Anchorage Monday aft a station circulated connected societal media that threatened “BHS.”

The aforesaid threat delayed classes concisely Monday astatine Bethel Regional High School. According to nan Bethel Police Department, nan threat was from a station that originated successful Binghamton, New York.

Corey Allen Young, a spokesperson for nan Anchorage School District, said 3 unsubstantiated threats person been made astir Anchorage-area schools successful nan past week. He asked parents to usage an app called StopIt to study societal media threats.

Young said nan Bartlett threat was not credible. He urged parents to study elaborate accusation astir imaginable threats to nan district, but warned against sharing threats much widely.

“There has been, obviously, a surge of threats that person travel successful different versions,” Young said. “Just this past week, we’ve had 3 unsubstantiated, mendacious threats that were deemed to beryllium not morganatic aliases credible. So because of that, what we’re asking is, if you perceive of thing that’s a threat connected societal media content, to please usage our StopIt app.”

Young said nan territory has respective information measures successful place. Funding is successful spot for 15 schoolhouse assets officers, though only 10 positions are presently filled. An effort to equip each Anchorage schoolhouse pinch a unafraid vestibule introduction is astir complete, and nan schoolhouse committee voted unanimously to aviator a programme called Raptor astatine six schools, which manages visitors to schoolhouse buildings. Young said nan territory plans to grow nan programme to each Anchorage schools by nan extremity of this semester.

Making mendacious threats connected societal media is simply a national crime. According to nan FBI, group charged pinch threatening interstate communications tin person up to 5 years successful national prison.

“Hoax threats disrupt school, discarded constricted rule enforcement resources, and put first responders successful unnecessary danger,” erstwhile FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich wrote successful a station astir hoax threats. “We besides don’t want to spot a young personification commencement retired adulthood pinch a felony grounds complete an impulsive societal media post.”