(from news release)
A student allegedly made threats against Sartell High School on a “Snapchat” group-chat posting in the early morning of Feb. 5.
Here is the news release from Sartell Police Chief Brandon Silgjord:
“On Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 5:22 a.m. the Sartell Police Department was made aware via the National Threat Operation center and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension of a “Snapchat” group message with a student who made reference to self-harm and possible threats to cause violence at Sartell High School. Officers worked quickly to notify school officials and enact plans to keep students from the schools if necessary.
An officer located the student who made comments on Snapchat. The student’s parents were cooperative with the officers’ investigation. Through that investigation and communication with leaders of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, it was determined it was safe to continue the school day as planned for the schools in the district.
The incident remains under investigation. And the student in question and the student’s family will continue to receive necessary resources and follow-up.
This incident highlights the importance of the partnerships that exist between our state and federal law enforcement agencies and their support for a quick response to potential threats at a local level. It is also a stark reminder for parents to urge their kids to report concerning messages or posts on social media and not wait until they are caught by secondary safety measures such as (in the case of) this incident.
We worked closely on this incident with the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, which is one of our strongest community partnerships. Incidents like this highlight the need for a unified response and continued collaboration between our two organizations.”
