School officials closed Greely High School to in-person learning Tuesday after a “vague” threat was posted on social media.
Superintendent Jeff Porter said students notified the high school principal around 6:30 a.m. that they had seen a threat posted on Instagram by an account that appeared to belong to the drama program.
The threat read, “Just blocked everyone I don’t want to kill. If you can read this … it’s going to happen,” Porter said.
Porter said the account is phony and does not belong to the school’s drama program. Cumberland police advised Porter to close the high school for the day while the threat is investigated.
“We feel this threat was isolated just to the high school,” Porter said.
Porter said buses carrying students were en route to the high school when the decision was made to close. They were rerouted and students who had driven to school were sent home immediately. There were no students in the building Tuesday morning, he said.
Police Chief Charles Rumsey said his department is conducting an “aggressive” investigation to determine who posted the threat. There have not been any other similar threats this school year or last, he said.
“These investigations are somewhat complex, but when there’s a threat of this nature we hope they can move rapidly,” he said.
Rumsey said an officer “will be visible and patrolling” the school campus for the rest of Tuesday and do the same Wednesday.
All other schools in the district were open Tuesday, although Greely Middle and Mable I. Wilson schools were in lockdown and students stayed indoors.
High school students participated in remote learning Tuesday. Wednesday is a scheduled remote day for all students in the district.
Porter anticipates the high school will reopen Thursday for in-person classes for Cohort B.
“The Cumberland police (have) aggressively begun an investigation and will be assisted as necessary by other local and state agencies,” Porter said in a letter to parents.
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