Pembroke Pines Police Say No Credibility In Viral Online School Threat
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - The Pembroke Pines police department said there is no credible threat to schools in the city.
The department launched an investigation after they received several anonymous tips regarding a possible threat to one of the schools.
After receiving word of the possible threat, police said they were notified of additional concerns regarding Pembroke Pines Charter High School. In an abundance of caution, the school was placed on a Code Yellow lockdown.
"I was petrified because I never thought it would be this close to home," said Debbie Friefeld.
Her son is a senior at the school.
"It was scary, my son wanted me to pick him up and my husband and I decided it was safe for him to be here so we let him stay."
That lockdown was lifted just before 10 a.m.
"This threat appears to be part of a viral online post that uses a generic school name and student name to create panic among students and staff. Out Threat Assessment Team was deployed to investigate this matter, and determined that this threat did not mention or involve any Pembroke Pines school or student," Pembroke Pines police said in a statement.
They added that this viral post has affected multiple jurisdictions across the country. Central Senior High School in Miami also received an extra police presence due to the viral threat.
"The viral school threat is something we take very seriously. Every single threat. We're even taking a look at who's liking the post because that gives us additional information trying to track down the original source of who's making those threats. We've been very fortunate in Broward County. We did have last week, about a week ago, a thread of threats that went out. Due to our partnerships with law enforcement and even with the FBI, things seem to have really calmed down. But, it's obviously very concerning," said Broward interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright.
Cartwright said some of the threats they've dealt with were very concerning
"A lot of the threats are making threats to come in and shoot up the school or shoot up specific individuals. Sometimes they target the teachers. It's very alarming," she said.
Police say anyone who makes a threat of this nature faces serious criminal charges and will be taken into custody.
Last week, two Broward students were arrested for reportedly making threats against schools.
