What to Know
- A New York school district will be closed Wednesday after officials say they uncovered a social media threat about a school shooting
- Poughkeepsie city schools will be closed “out of an abundance of caution” after a threat to shoot up the high school emerged online
- Superintendent Nicolé Williams said further information will be provided as it becomes available
An entire New York school district is closed Wednesday as police say they're investigating a social media threat made against the district and threats against named individuals.
All eight of Poughkeepsie city schools are closed “out of an abundance of caution” after a threat to shoot up the high school popped up online, Superintendent Nicolé Williams said in a statement late Tuesday.
“We are working closely with the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and the FBI,” Williams said. “The appropriate authorities are actively investigating this issue with the highest priority. The safety of our staff and students is our number one priority.”
Williams added that immediate action has been taken. It wasn’t clear if any arrests have been made.
Further information will be provided as it becomes available, she said.
In a tweet Wednesday morning, Poughkeepsie police said, "CPPD is investigating a social media threat made against the PCSD and threats against named individuals. The investigation is active and we are collaborating with our Law Enforcement partners."
It wasn't clear if those "named individuals" were students.
The FBI says the number of reported threats to schools in the New York area has spiked since the Valentine's Day mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.
Local
The Florida school shooting has sparked a nation-wide debate on gun control.
