Schools in Milford and Bristol are the latest in Connecticut to be impacted by threats this school year in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Georgia last week.
Both incidents were reported to authorities on Monday and involved Platt Technical High School in Milford and Chippens Hill Middle School in Bristol, according to Connecticut State Police and Acting Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools Iris White.
In a letter to the school community, White said a Chippens Hill student reportedly made a threat while riding home from school on a bus on Monday.
“As soon as we received the report of this threat, we immediately requested and were provided assistance from the Bristol Police Department,” White wrote.
A joint investigation by police and school officials found that “there is no danger to the school community because there was no plan or means to act upon the threatening statement,” according to White
“Nonetheless, we take any threatening language with utmost seriousness,” White continued. “We are working with the family and the police to hold the student accountable for his irresponsible statement to complete a risk assessment and take all appropriate action to assure the safety of our school community.”
White said the student will not be allowed back at school “until those steps are completed.”
White went on to say school officials would not be providing “details of the safety plan that we are developing.”
“However, we inform you of these events to assure you that we are addressing the situation and to emphasize that the safety of all members of our school community is our first and overriding concern,” she said, adding that families with questions or concerns could reach out to the school district.
The threatening remark in Bristol came on the heels of officials with Platt Technical High School receiving a “suspicious message” that raised concerns, according to state police. Troopers were made aware of the message and began investigating.
“At this time there is no threat to the public,” troopers said in a statement.
State police did not elaborate on the details of the message, though they said there would be extra security at Platt on Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
Both threats on Monday follow a shooting at a school in Georgia last week that left two students and two teachers dead and nine others injured. So far this school year in Connecticut, police have investigated threats or similar incidents at schools in Meriden, Ansonia, Bloomfield, Windsor, Naugatuck, Cromwell and Stamford. Some of these incidents have led to evacuations, lockdowns, building searches and students facing charges.
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