Wake County Schools

Despite added security, kids stayed home after Wakefield HS social media threat

Extra security greeted students and faculty members Thursday morning at Wakefield High School after someone posted a threat against the school on social media.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Extra security greeted students and faculty members Thursday morning at Wakefield High School after someone posted a threat against the school on social media.

The social media threat, which said “the Wakefield massacre is coming, don’t downplay this as a joke. November 16 during breakfast, I’m going to make an example,” first started circulating Wednesday night.

In an email sent to parents, school officials said they were alerted to the post and immediately contacted Wake County Public School System security and Raleigh police.

“Threats to our school are taken seriously and we will take every measure to ensure student safety,” school officials said in a statement. “We investigate each threat fully and pursue threats with criminal prosecution.”

Although police are investigating the incident and additional officers were on campus Thursday, some parents still felt uneasy and said they decided to keep their children home from school.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said he thinks everybody needs to be more vigilant as social media gives people another platform to make threats, but should also prepare students for potentially life-threatening situations through additional safety drills.

Harrison also believes the Wake County Public School System should have its own police department.

"I'm one of those people that thinks we should have a police force for the Wake County school system and I'll continue to say that," Harrison said. "I realize it costs money, but when you have 11 police chiefs, over 160,000 to 170,000 students, I don't think we are on the same page all the time."

Parents whose children may have information about who is responsible for the post were asked to contact school administrators or Raleigh police.

Anybody with information can call Crime Stoppers at 919-834-4357.

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