West Bend police say social media threat on possible school shooting not credible
WEST BEND, Wis. (CBS 58)-- West Bend Police Department investigated reports of a social media threat claiming there would be a school shooting on Monday, December 2nd. Police say the threat didn’t specify where that shooting would be, but the West Bend School District did have school on Monday.
West Bend Police say Monday’s shooting at Waukesha South High School is not connected to an eerie social media threat that first surfaced last month. Police say on November 7th, a 19-year-old West Bend woman told police she had seen an odd message.
”The message indicated that there would be a school shooting on December 2nd, she said that there was no direct school name listed or city listed,” said Lieutenant Eric Grinwald with the West Bend Police Department.
Police began investigating last month, but found there was nothing to worry about, but after students and parents voiced concerns on Sunday police re-opened their investigation but again, found nothing.
”We spoke with numerous students monitored social media websites and throughout the course of the investigation it was determined that no other student has ever seen this message and there was no credibility to the message,” adds Grinwald.
Even with no threat to West Bend schools, the shooting at Waukesha South High School Monday shocked parents and students in West Bend.
”It’s kind of freaky, it’s scary,” said Valerie Oksiuta, a sophomore at West Bend West High School.
”I think it’s very sad and I’m glad that they took action right away because it could’ve been much worse,” said Karen A, a West Bend parent.
”At this time there is absolutely no correlation between our investigation here in West Bend and the incident that occurred at Waukesha,” said Grinwald.
West Bend School District says the safety of their students and staff is a main priority, and had more police presence on Monday, but parents still questioned whether sending students back to school was the right decision.
”They should close schools and try to figure out where it’s coming from, I mean it’s not worth risking the students,” adds Karen A.
”Yes there’s locked doors and safety but lots of times people have excuses, it could be a student, it could really be anybody, there’s different ways,” says Oksiuta.
West Bend Police want parents and students to report all suspicious activity they see online.