Pleasanton Police Patrol High School After Graffiti Threatens Shooting
PLEASANTON (CBS SF) - Police officers were on the campus of Foothill High School in Pleasanton Wednesday morning after graffiti found scrawled in a girl's bathroom threatened a school shooting.
The graffiti was found in the restroom Tuesday afternoon, according to school administrators and students.
On the wall of the restroom, the graffiti said, "I f------ hate everyone at this school!!!! Watch me shoot everyone on March 14th! I swear to God !!!!!
After the discovery of the graffiti, Foothill High principal John Dwyer issued the following statement:
This afternoon, we discovered graffiti in one of the girls bathrooms. Because this graffiti included a possible threat toward the school, the Pleasanton police department is working with school officials to investigate this incident.
The graffiti has been photographed by students and posted on social media, so there are rumors circulating. We assure all Foothill students and families that appropriate precautions are being taken to ensure a safe and secure campus for all students, including additional police presence for the remainder of the week.
If you or your student has any information about the source of this graffiti, please contact the school as soon as possible. Information can be provided anonymously.
Thank you for your support,
John Dwyer
Principal
Wednesday morning, local TV news crews were seen outside the front of the high school as well as police officers.
School officials have scheduled a meeting at Foothill Wednesday morning to discuss the issue.
Nicole Steward, spokeswoman for the Pleasanton Unified School District, said the Pleasanton Police Dept. has agreed to provide more patrols at the school throughout the week.
Stepped up security was also in place at Kimball High School in Tracy after a similar graffiti threat was found on the bathroom wall there.
Steward said Wednesday's school attendance did not seem to have been affected by the threat, though she said it has prompted a handful of parents to notify the school that they will keep their children home on Thursday.
"We certainly aren't encouraging that; we believe campus will be safe tomorrow," she said.
Police have interviewed several students who posted the images online and others they believe may have information about the threatening message.
"We know someone out there knows something, and we just want them to come forward," Steward said, adding that the student who wrote the message will not necessarily be punished.
"Our biggest concern, honestly, is the safety of that student," she said. "We want to make sure the student has the services they need and obviously we need to determine how serious the threat might be."
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