Shen. Valley, Mahanoy, N. Schuylkill among multiple in northeast to receive threats Friday
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Shenandoah Police Patrolman Leo Luciani, left, and West Mahanoy Township Police Chief Marvin Livergood at the Shenandoah Valley School District campus following an early dismissal Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.
SHENANDOAH – Our three local school districts were among multiple districts across eastern Pennsylvania and the northeast which received threats today, many of which closed early.
Shenandoah Valley and Mahanoy Area both dismissed early, the former implementing the district’s evacuation plan.
“Due to the quick response of local and state law enforcement, the District was able to ascertain the threat was NOT credible,” Superintendent Brian Waite told the Sentinel Friday. “The Shenandoah Valley School District is grateful to the assistance provided by Columbia Hose and Steam Fire Engine Company No. 1. Furthermore, students, bus drivers, support staff, teachers, administration and parents were very cooperative as we completed a safe evacuation and dismissal process. “
Waite said Shenandoah Valley evacuated out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health, safety and welfare of students and staff.
Borough Police said a canine unit from the Pennsylvania Capitol Police in Harrisburg was requested to sweep the building.
The Mahanoy Area School District also evacuated early today.
In a message to the district community, Superintendent Joie Green said her district “and numerous other Pennsylvania schools” received unsubstantiated threats via text message Friday morning.
The North Schuylkill School District said in a Facebook post that threats had been received by text message at districts in Schuylkill, Berks, and Chester counties, and that they are all coming from the same phone number.
“The messages may have been computer generated and originated from Ontario, Canada,” the district wrote on Facebook. “North Schuylkill will remain vigilant and has been in contact with the local and State Police.”
North Schuylkill did not dismiss early Friday.
In Berks County, Wilson High School in Spring Township, near Reading, received a call around 8:30pm about a shooting, the district said in a statement.
Wilson and nearby Whitfield Elementary dismissed early. Police found no shooter or victim at the campus.
“We do know that other school districts throughout the region received similar calls throughout the day today,” Wilson said in the statement. “It is believed that what happened today at Wilson is what is referred to as “swatting.” Swatting is a form of prank in which individuals contact local police departments to report a shooting or other violent incident which did not occur to generate a police response.”
In New York State, four schools received threats today, all of which were deemed noncredible, according to WHEC-TV. Those incidents are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Buffalo office.
The FBI’s Philadelphia office told the Sentinel in a statement today:
“Hoax threats to schools and other institutions continue to be a problem in Pennsylvania and across the country. Not only do they cause disruption and undue stress for those targeted, hoax threats drain law enforcement resources and divert authorities from responding to an actual crisis. The FBI and our law enforcement partners take hoax threats very seriously — they’re not a joke, they’re a crime, and perpetrators can face local or federal charges resulting in prison time. We’d urge anyone considering making a hoax threat to think about the potential consequences first, and we’d ask the public to report any threats or other suspicious activity they see to law enforcement.”
About Author
