VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Bayside Middle School administrators have called police for extra patrols after a threat against the school surfaced over the weekend.
According to a statement from Bayside's principal, Safe Schools and the Virginia Beach Police Department are investigating after a threat was reported on Sunday, but the extra police presence was called in on Monday out of an "abundance of caution."
Some Virginia Beach residents sent us screenshots off Instagram where the threat was made:
Sarah Perez Sanders said her daughter was also warned about the threats on Snapchat, so Sanders contacted police.
“Us as parents, we have to safeguard our children in every opportunity. It’s not being a helicopter parent, it’s looking out for the well-being of all children,” said Sanders. Sanders said her daughter stayed home from school today because she was so scared.
“They were threatening to shoot individuals at the school and shoot up the school. My daughter told me fearfully that she did not want to go to school until she absolutely knew that this person was apprehended,” said Sanders.
Parent Christine Prendingue said she also kept her daughter home from school.
“She brought it to my attention because it freaked her out, so she was like mom, I kind of don’t want to go to school,” said Prendingue.
Prendingue said that events like this mean that parents need to talk to their children about what to do when there’s a threat, something that Bayside Middle School Principal Paula Johnson mentioned in a statement about the threat.
“It’s overwhelming almost. Because parents, we’re getting caught off guard because we don’t have time to prep and prepare these conversations for the kids. But I just tell my daughter, like anything she sees, report it right away,” said Prendingue.
The full statement from Principal Paula Johnson is below:
Good morning Bayside Middle School families. This is Principal Paula Johnson. I am calling to let you know that we had someone make a social media threat against our school late last night. Safe Schools and the Virginia Beach Police Department are investigating, but in the meantime, out of an abundance of caution, we will have extra police presence at the school today. Our school and students are safe. Of course, just hearing or seeing such language can be upsetting to children, so I ask you to talk with your child about the role they play in school safety. If they hear something concerning they should report it immediately to the police or an adult and not perpetuate the rumor through social media or gossip. This will allow the school and police to respond more efficiently to safety concerns. Your child’s safety is our highest priority and we take these matters very seriously. Thank you for your understanding and support of Bayside Middle School. I look forward to seeing your child in school today.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle said that all threats are taken seriously and can lead to criminal charges.
“Any threat, even if it is meant to be a joke, will be taken seriously and possible criminal charges can result. Criminal convictions can follow students throughout their life. Parents need to remind their children about these consequences and encourage them to come forward if they hear or see a threat being communicated. Students need to remember that anything they post online never truly goes away,” said Stolle.