LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Paul Laurence Dunbar High School student is accused of sending a threatening message to students claiming that an act of violence would occur at school on Friday, but authorities do not believe it's a credible threat.
In a letter to families, acting principal Andrea Tinsley said a student used the AirDrop feature on their iPhone to circulate a threatening message to multiple students claiming that an act of school violence would be committed against the school on Friday. The message encouraged students not to attend school tomorrow.
Several students quickly alerted our administrative team and an investigation was immediately launched with the FCPS Police Department.
"We are thankful to those students that notified us about the message," said Tinsley in the letter. "That is the correct response and underscores the importance of reporting any safety concerns immediately."
Tinsley says the investigation is ongoing, but law enforcement does not view this as a credible threat.
"The news of this message has traveled across our campus quickly, and therefore we wanted to share the facts directly with you," Tinsley said. "We understand that this message is upsetting and may cause your student to worry. Please reassure them that their safety is our number one priority."
Tinsley encouraged parents to talk with their kids about safe technology use and monitor their activities across their devices.
"We ask you to take this opportunity to remind your student(s) that situations like this are extremely serious," she said. "While some may think this is a joke, it is important that our students understand that making threats against a school is a felony under state law."
