USD 234 Superintendent Ted Hessong received a report from the Fort Scott Police Department that a criminal threat was made regarding Fort Scott High School on Oct. 28.
A person was accused of posting a social media threat against the high school on October 28, just about the time Fort Scott High School lets out for the day.
“The Fort Scott Police Department reported to me this afternoon, (Oct. 28) after school was out, that they had received information from a third party website that a criminal threat was made on the high school this afternoon,” Hessong said. “FSPD investigated the report this afternoon and found that no credible threat was made upon the high school.”
“It was a hotline based out of California,” FSPD Captain Jason Pickert said. “They received an anonymous tip that a video had been posted on a social media site.”
“We learned upon investigation the person does not have an account with that media site, so it was falsely reported,” Pickert said.
“We spoke with the suspect involved and did independent research,” he said. “The person was local, but not a high school student.”
“We notified Ted Hessong shortly after the report came in, about 3:20 p.m.,” Pickert said. “I think it was a false report from the get-go.”
The incident was communicated to the school district parents through the school messenger mass phone call system that a report of a criminal threat was made, it was investigated, and no credible threat was made upon the high school, Hessong said.
“The safety and security is the number one priority of the school district,” Hessong said. ” I want to thank Chief (Travis) Shelton and his detectives and officers for reporting and investigating the possible threat. It is nice to know that our local law enforcement agencies, FSPD and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Department, supports our schools.”
