Morgan Hill Police have determined a threatening message posted on Snapchat that was possibly aimed at Britton Middle School “originated in another state” and there is “no credible threat” to the school located at 80 W. Central Ave.
MHPD officers, however, “will maintain a presence at the school all day,” according to an Oct. 22 update on the law enforcement agency’s Facebook page.
Since learning of the possible threat to Britton Sunday, MHPD began investigating.
Morgan Hill Unified School District Supt. Steve Betando was at Britton Monday morning along with other district staff and plan to be there in the afternoon as well.
“Our Morgan Hill Police are not only investigating but there will be a presence of officers on the Britton campus throughout the day,” wrote Betando in an Oct. 22 email he sent out to all Morgan Hill Unified School District Employees.
All Britton school events, including after-school athletics, will go on as scheduled today Oct. 22 and for the remainder of the week, according to district staff.
Several social media postings on Snapchat were discovered Sunday and looked at “as threats of violence against schools in the Bay Area.”
The one alleged to take aim at Britton stated: “Attention Everybody that goes to BMS I will be shooting up the school on Monday afternoon.”
MHPD posted on its Facebook page Oct. 21 that officers “are investigating the validity of this threat and taking it very seriously. It has been determined that this is a regional threat and may not be specific to a Morgan Hill school. Other jurisdictions are involved and also investigating.”
The threatening message may have been recycled and recirculated on social media since “the exact same message threat was seen recently in an Arizona School,” according to Betando’s message to MHUSD employees.
However, MHPD and San Jose Police were among those who investigated the threat.
“Those who threaten the well-being of others or cause fear and disruption will be held accountable and prosecuted,” Betando wrote. “We understand criminal acts of threats can cause panic and fear.”
Betando also posted a message on the MHUSD Facebook page “asking parents to send their children to school under our care.”
In addressing his MHUSD employees, Betando concluded: “I appreciate the extra resilience it takes for all of us to do our jobs especially when such criminal messages create anxiety and disruption. Our purpose is too important to let horrible acts like this stop us from educating children. We must also model our resilience for our children and the community.”
MHPD also promised to be “out in full force (Oct. 22) at all of our local schools.”
