OC School To Be Closed For Third Straight Day Over Email Threat
ALISO VIEJO (CBS/AP) — A private school in Orange County will remain closed for a third day Thursday after the school received an email threatening a shooting on the campus.
Orange County Sheriff's Department Lt. Jeff Hallock told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO on Wednesday that the school received the email early Monday from an address traced to a foreign country.
The email gave a generic description of a person who would attack St. Mary's School in Aliso Viejo.
Deputies said the alleged shooter's name didn't match a former or current school employee or student.
"The email indicated that a person, physical description and name was provided, would do the shooting," Hallock said. "Investigators have continued to follow up and identify that particular person, but they've been unable to locate or identify or even confirm that that person actually exists."
Authorities won't say where the email was sent from because of the continuing investigation.
The date of the threatened attack specified in the email has passed.
Tony Novak, a father of two St. Mary's students, said: "We're going to leave them out for this week, at least, and continue to hopefully have some fundamental discussions. This all around sends shivers up the spine."
Authorities said the school will remain closed out of an abundance of caution. Only staff will be allowed on campus.
The school, which its site lists as being founded on Christian values, has about 800 students from preschool through eighth grade.
Last week, Fountain Valley High School received a bomb and campus shooting threat via email from a student's account that was hacked.
It was later determined the threat was a hoax, but classes were canceled Wednesday.
Sheriff's officials said the two incidents were not related.
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School In Aliso Viejo Receives Safety Threat Over Email
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