A 16-year-old male student at Lincoln High School was referred for terroristic threats after making a social media post threatening violence at the school.
Thursday, September 12, just after 9 a.m., the Lincoln High School Principal Mark Larson contacted police after noticing the post. The Lincoln Police
Department (LPD) threat assessment team began working with the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) Security team to investigate the legitimacy of this
post, along with other posts, reported throughout the day.
The student was referred for terroristic threats and LPD has confirmed there are no active threats toward any LPS school at this time.
In a letter to parents, LPS said they would not share the posts verbatim, but offered a description of the posts and said the same screenshots have been shared in school districts across Nebraska and the United States, not just Lincoln.
LPS Security says if you see any of these posts, you do not need to report them:
“Targeted Assistance”: This is a list of schools and at the top it has the word “Targeted Assistance”. This is a screenshot from the Georgia Department of Education that lists Title I schools who need academic support, or Targeted Assistance as outlined by the US Department of Education.
“10:45”: This post is black with white lettering not mentioning a school in the original post (although some might add a school name) and says for parents to post on social media. It indicates there will be something at 10:45. Lincoln Police are aware, and this same screenshot is making the rounds in schools all over Nebraska.
“Lancaster”: This screenshot has a blue background with firearms and mentions many districts including “Lancaster”. These are school districts in Texas where this post originated.
“Buckeye Local”: This is a screenshot of a phone with a message about “shooting up the Buckeye Local”. This post originated out of Ohio and is talking about a school there.
LPS reminds parents and students to report any posts suggesting/threatening violence at a Lincoln school to trusted law enforcement or school staff. When reporting, include specific details like account name, poster’s real name, social media platform, screenshots, etc.
Do not repost anything suggesting/threatening violence, as Lincoln Police and Lincoln Public Schools communications channels are being flooded with the same posts over and over and it is slowing down the investigation process.
“We need to work together to limit the disruptions in our schools. Our students need us to provide a stable and safe learning environment for them and their mental health. The best thing we can do for our children is to return to our normal routines,” the LPS official statement said. “Our words and actions matter and all threats will be taken seriously – even those said as a joke. There will be school and legal consequences for students who threaten violence towards others. We take all comments seriously and investigate them fully.”
If you or anyone you know has a safety concern, please tell a trusted staff member, LPS Security or Threat Assessment team member by using the green “Safe to Say” button on the LPS website, Safe2Help Nebraska at 833-980-7233, or call Lincoln Police at (402) 441-6000.