Lexington County schools deal with threats for second-straight day

Continues rash of threats received by Midlands high schools this week

Posted 2/3/23

A day after a 15-year-old Columbia high school student was arrested following threats that altered schedules at six Lexington County schools, two schools again reported receiving threats.

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Lexington County schools deal with threats for second-straight day

Continues rash of threats received by Midlands high schools this week

Posted

A day after a 15-year-old Columbia high school student was arrested following threats that altered schedules at six Lexington County schools, two schools again reported receiving threats.

Airport High School is keeping students at home Feb. 3 after a possible bomb threat, while Lexington Police are on campus at Meadow Glen Middle School responding to an email threat.

“This morning at approximately 7, a call came in to Cayce dispatch about a possible bomb threat at Airport High School,” Ashley Hunter, a spokesperson for the Cayce Police, told the Chronicle. “As of [about 8:30 a.m.], our officers have cleared the building, and the threat was unfounded.”

A statement from Lexington County School District 2 from earlier Friday morning states that “in an abundance of caution, the school will move to an e-learning day, as law enforcement works on campus.”

“Drivers en route to the school, or already there, will be notified once on campus, and any buses en route will return students to their regular bus stops,” the release states. “Information for eLearning will be shared through the school shortly. We appreciate the work of our law enforcement partners this morning and thank you for your understanding as we continue to work to keep students and employees safe.”

A little before 10:30 a.m., Lexington Police Department announced it was investigating an email threat made against Meadow Glen Middle.

“The school has been placed on secure meaning that no one can leave or access the campus,” the department tweeted, adding that all students and faculty are safe inside the school. “The entrances to the campus have been closed and officers are directing parents and guardians to the [Northside Christian Academy] Athletic Fields parking lot on Ginny Lane.”

Libby Roof, chief communications officer for Lexington County School District 1, tweeted Meadow Glen Middle and Elementary are in “secure safety precaution.”

“All students and employees safe inside school buildings,” she tweeted. “Law enforcement onsite. No one allowed on/off campuses. Families sent text and email messages with more info. All other Lexington 1 schools not impacted at this time.”

The Lexington Police added in an update that Northside Christian was also been placed on secure as a precaution.

Per an update from the department from shortly before 12:30 p.m., secure status was lifted at all three Lexington schools.

“The search of [Middle Glen Middle] has been completed and no safety threat was found on campus,” Lexington Police tweeted. “This investigation will continue with our Criminal Investigation Division regarding the source of this online threat.”

Airport was one of six county schools and 11 in the Midlands to be impacted by a rash of threats the Richland County Sheriff’s Department believe are all linked to a student at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, who was arrested Feb. 2.

All the previous threats were determined by authorities to be hoaxes.

Four Lexington County District 1 schools — Lexington High, River Bluff High, White Knoll High and the Lexington Technology Center — shifted to e-learning Thursday in response to threats, the same day Airport was placed on a hold and started a staggered early dismissal in response to a threat Lexington 2 said was received at about 1:30 p.m.

“Threats are disruptive and upsetting to students, families, teachers, and administrators. Lexington 2 does not tolerate any action that jeopardizes the safety of our schools, and we remain vigilant in investigating every threat, in concert with our law enforcement partners,” the district writes in a Thursday release.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.

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