MONROE - School District of Monroe Superintendent Rick Waski sent an email Monday explaining to parents and guardians of students that a viral Facebook post indicating a shooting threat at "MHS" originated from Charlottesville, Virginia, and has nothing to do with Green County.
"I think that's the nature of social media," Waski said. "Things spread so quickly in this digital age that 15 years ago, a hoax of this nature would not have spread as quickly. I think among the county the response has been fairly swift."
In a "story" on the popular photo-based messaging app Snapchat, a picture with five rifles, a handgun and a crossbow are displayed with the text, "Don't go to school tomorrow @MHS. Students (sic)" and on a second line, "Loaded up bout head out (sic)" typed over the bottom of the photo.
MHS, a common reference to Monroe and Monticello high schools, has been used within a number of school districts across the country. Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley pointed this out and said after "a quick, cursory investigation," the post was deemed inapplicable to the area.
"We've looked, but found quickly that this was not related to anywhere near here," Kelley said.
The goal was to eliminate any connection to the area, he added.
The threat was found to be a hoax by the County of Albemarle Police Department in Charlottesville. A press release by the department at about 10 p.m. Sunday explained that the threatening post was in reference to a Monticello High School in the region and that it was "no longer being considered a valid threat."
The release also said the suspect in the hoax is a juvenile and that authorities have arrested him with pending charges. Officers intended to have an increased presence at all Monticello high schools in Virginia Monday.
Despite a swift resolution by local authorities, within 24 hours the hoax has swept across parts of the country. Monroe was not the only district to start an investigation into whether it was the targeted school.
Once a screenshot of the Snapchat hit Facebook, it was shared in a variety of places, from a father who posted it on the Facebook page of a news station in San Antonio, Texas, to a post by a resident of Porterville, California, worried it was a legitimate threat to a nearby school.
In Waski's email, he includes a link to a news story in Albany, New York, explaining that the Fulton County Sheriff's Department received reports of the threat but still included more police at nearby Mayfield Central School District buildings Monday.
Posts from users popped up in other states like Alabama, Louisiana and Illinois.
Monticello Police posted a notice on their own Facebook page at about 10 a.m. Monday explaining that the school district notified them of the issue and stated that a Monroe Police Department in North Carolina was investigating the original post to Facebook, which was what spread to other states, worrying numerous parents and officials in areas where MHS is commonly used to refer to local schools.
"I think that's the nature of social media," Waski said. "Things spread so quickly in this digital age that 15 years ago, a hoax of this nature would not have spread as quickly. I think among the county the response has been fairly swift."
In a "story" on the popular photo-based messaging app Snapchat, a picture with five rifles, a handgun and a crossbow are displayed with the text, "Don't go to school tomorrow @MHS. Students (sic)" and on a second line, "Loaded up bout head out (sic)" typed over the bottom of the photo.
MHS, a common reference to Monroe and Monticello high schools, has been used within a number of school districts across the country. Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley pointed this out and said after "a quick, cursory investigation," the post was deemed inapplicable to the area.
"We've looked, but found quickly that this was not related to anywhere near here," Kelley said.
The goal was to eliminate any connection to the area, he added.
The threat was found to be a hoax by the County of Albemarle Police Department in Charlottesville. A press release by the department at about 10 p.m. Sunday explained that the threatening post was in reference to a Monticello High School in the region and that it was "no longer being considered a valid threat."
The release also said the suspect in the hoax is a juvenile and that authorities have arrested him with pending charges. Officers intended to have an increased presence at all Monticello high schools in Virginia Monday.
Despite a swift resolution by local authorities, within 24 hours the hoax has swept across parts of the country. Monroe was not the only district to start an investigation into whether it was the targeted school.
Once a screenshot of the Snapchat hit Facebook, it was shared in a variety of places, from a father who posted it on the Facebook page of a news station in San Antonio, Texas, to a post by a resident of Porterville, California, worried it was a legitimate threat to a nearby school.
In Waski's email, he includes a link to a news story in Albany, New York, explaining that the Fulton County Sheriff's Department received reports of the threat but still included more police at nearby Mayfield Central School District buildings Monday.
Posts from users popped up in other states like Alabama, Louisiana and Illinois.
Monticello Police posted a notice on their own Facebook page at about 10 a.m. Monday explaining that the school district notified them of the issue and stated that a Monroe Police Department in North Carolina was investigating the original post to Facebook, which was what spread to other states, worrying numerous parents and officials in areas where MHS is commonly used to refer to local schools.