NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A threatening email put Newport News and Gloucester County public schools on alert Thursday.
In a message to parents and staff Thursday morning, Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) said several schools across the city and in Gloucester County received a threatening email, and that law enforcement was investigating.
Officials didn't say what the threat entailed or where it originated, but the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) is leading the investigation, according to a spokesperson for the Newport News Police Department.
A spokesperson for GCSO said investigators don't think the threat was credible and immediate, but an investigation is ongoing. Newport News police also said they determined the threat wasn't credible.
NNPS said that as a precaution, there would be increased patrol checks throughout the day at all city schools by police and district security. A message from NNPS also said "the email may be an attempt to disrupt the school day," but that the school district was taking action "out of an abundance of caution."
"This increased presence, along with our enhanced safety and security measures already in place, provide more oversight of our schools and offices," the statement said.
Gloucester County schools were placed in secure mode before returning to normal operations around 9 a.m., according to Anthony Vladu, the county's schools superintendent.
A Newport News police spokesperson told 13News Now that the department had been "made aware of threats" and that "officers are increasing patrol checks around schools."
Disrupting the school day is a tactic that wouldn’t surprise Mac Hardy.
"A lot of times it was called in by students trying to get out of tests or trying to get let out of school early," he said.
Hardy began his career as a teacher, then a police officer and School Resource Officer. Now he’s the Director of Operations for the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) and calls transparency in these situations vital.
"If we don’t get the information out there, they’re gonna get it from somewhere and if it’s through a text from their child, there’s no telling what rumors are going around the schools," he said.
The NASRO said threats like these can be sent for a number of reasons—students wanting to get out of school or a bad actor hoping to cause chaos or test law enforcement.
Hardy said hoax threats are a growing problem; NASRO says there are at least 30 incidents per week around the country.
Hardy said both divisions made smart moves this morning by not disrupting the school day.
"They kept school in session and probably beefed up security a little bit at the schools to help the community, parents and guardians, feel a little bit better about their students being in school," he said.