Statewide School Threats Rise, Cause Campus Closures And Increased Security Measures

Schools across the state have seen an increase in threats of violence that have mostly circulated on social media, causing concern for students, parents, and school officials.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a statement regarding multiple threats made and said:

"There is no place for threats of violence toward our schools, our teachers, or our students. Violence is utterly unacceptable. The safety of our students is my highest priority, and our agency is coordinating efforts with local districts and law enforcement. We are making all resources available and will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure our students' safety and security."

Several schools have had to cancel school or increase security measures due to threats.

Minco Public Schools shared on social media that their campus would be closed on Tuesday after a bomb threat was made.

They were in lockdown on Monday following a threat to the district's answering machine.

Moore Police Department posted on Monday night that they were investigating an alleged threat made towards a district by using the abbreviation of “MHS.”

They posted that they are working with Moore Public Schools to address additional safety measures.

Waurika Public Schools had increased security on Monday following multiple threats made to the district in the past week, according to district officials.

In a post made to social media on Friday, Waurika Public Schools said a threat was made to the district, which Waurika Police later determined to be nonviable. On Sunday, the district made another post on social media, saying another threat had been made to the district.

Oklahoma City Public Schools says it has seen over a dozen reports of social media threats in the last few weeks, none of which have been deemed credible.

On Sept. 12, they posted a statement saying:

"This week, district leaders became aware of a viral social media “warning” about a potential threat of school violence being shared among students across the state. All districts in the OKC metro area have received similar messages.

Our OKCPS Security team has been in close contact with OKC Police, and we currently do not believe there is any immediate threat to any OKCPS school site. However, out of an abundance of caution, you may notice an increased security presence around our buildings. We wanted to inform you of this situation, especially given recent events and heightened sensitivities around school safety."

News 9 has also reported on threats to the Yukon, Putnam City, and Edmond school districts, which have also seen an increase in school threats.

On Sept. 5, Putnam City Schools says they were made aware of a social media post threatening violence toward Hefner Middle School. After investigation, the district determined that the threat was of low credibility, but they said they have increased security on campus.