Amidst lockdown, threat against Jackson Middle School quickly deemed not credible
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VIENNA -- Jackson Middle School was locked down Thursday afternoon following an anonymous tip police quickly determined was not credible.
The Vienna Police Department said on its Facebook page that they were advised of an anonymous tip and the lockdown was implemented for students' safety as officers were responding.
Jeremy Bell, safety and security coordinator for Wood County Schools, said the threat was made through the state-wide See Send app. He said multiple agencies throughout the state are notified of the potential threat, including local law enforcement and the local 911 Center.
"The system works very well," Bell said.
Sgt. A.N. Harris was already on scene as the Jackson Middle School resource officer. He was able to make "some determinations" fairly quickly and advised the responding officers that there was not an active threat, Vienna Police Chief Carl Powell II said.
"He'd already pretty much squashed the credibility of this threat before the (other) officers even arrived," Powell said.
Once it was determined there was no credible threat, the police and Wood County Schools released information to the public, the post said.
Powell said he understands parents were concerned about their children but emphasized that the police would not have kept them at the school had they been in danger.
"Children are of utmost importance to us," he said.
Powell said the school district sent updates through a communication system it has in place and recommended parents make sure their correct contact information is provided to their children's school.
Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis said parents were notified through Thrill Share and that 71 of the 300 messages sent out were not received because of invalid numbers.
"Please contact your children's school and make sure your number is up-to-date," Willis said. "We want to make sure all parents are notified in a situation like this."