A social media threat has increased police presence within the Great Egg Harbor Regional schools.
The post claimed there were videos on other social media account that “they were going to shoot up the schools.”
It was reported to the district late Tuesday night, reporting potential threats to a number of local schools, including all three GEHR, Superintendent James Reina said in a notice to district families.
“While we have no reason at this time to believe this post was based on a real or known threat, as a precautionary measure, we will have a police presence at our schools this morning,” Reina wrote. “Please recognize that presence is a demonstration of the joint commitment of Greater Egg and our local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of all who enter our schools.”
Police Chief Donna Higbee reiterated that partnership, saying her department is in constant communication with the schools’ officials.
“This relationship is extremely important, particularly when there is a potential threat to public safety involving school children and staff,” she told BreakingAC. “We will continue to have extra patrols in and around our schools as we deem appropriate to safeguard the community until threats are resolved, as was done in this instance.
“We continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to ensure safety and transparency for our respective communities,” she added.
This is the third time in less than a week that such threats have been brought to the attention of local school administrators.
A threat of a schools shooting at “HHS” posted on Snapchat was investigated in several Atlantic County school districts. It was eventually linked to Hightstown High School.
Ocean City High School dismissed its students early Tuesday after a threat there.
In all those cases, school officials and law enforcement lauded students for coming forward with what they saw.
