Threats prompt Midlands schools to evacuate for third day in a row, officials say
Multiple Midlands schools were targeted Thursday with threats, prompting officials to take precautions for the third day in a row.
Threats were issued to several schools in both Lexington and Richland counties, officials said. As a result, students are being evacuated from some schools, others are restricting student mobility and most are switching to E-learning days.
Information about the threats was not available.
Richland 2
It’s the third day in a row that Spring Valley High School students were sent home because of threats, Richland 2 spokeswoman Ishmael Tate told The State. Unlike the previous two days, Tate said Thursday’s switch to “asynchronous learning” is not considered an evacuation.
School officials got the word out about the switch as early as possible, but some students had already arrived at the Spring Valley campus, according to Tate. Those students could be picked up by parents or head home if they drove themselves, Tate said.
Another Richland 2 school, Richland Northeast High, was placed on a secure status because of a threat, officials said. Law enforcement is evaluating the threat, according to the school district. On Wednesday, Richland Northeast was evacuated due to a threat, along with Spring Valley.
At about 11:55 a.m., the district announced that Richland Northeast is dismissing school early. Student drivers were dismissed at 11:45 a.m., followed by car riders at noon, while walkers will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m., and students who ride the bus will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m., officials said.
Dent Middle School was also briefly placed on secure status because of a threat, but at about 10:45 a.m. that was lifted after law enforcement determined the threat wasn’t credible, Richland 2 officials said.
Lexington 1
Three Lexington 1 schools were evacuated, including Lexington High, Lexington Technology Center and River Bluff High, district spokeswoman Libby Roof told The State.
Some employees got a threatening email Thursday morning, which was turned over to law enforcement, and the decision was made to get students out of the schools and switch to an E-learning day, Roof said.
As was the case with Spring Valley, some students were already on the school campuses, and they had to be picked up by parents, according to Roof.
While Roof said law enforcement officers with both the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and the Lexington Police Department were searching the schools, police said the River Bluff High campus was “safe,” but the switch to E-learning was made so officers could properly conduct searches of the campuses.
At about 12:30 p.m., police said River Bluff High has been cleared of any possible threats, adding that police dogs from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the University of South Carolina Police Department were used during a search of the campus.
“The school was thoroughly searched and the threats were deemed unfounded,” police said.
At about 10:15 a.m., the sheriff’s department said it was also investigating a potential threat made at White Knoll High School, and extra deputies are on campus.
At about 11:45 a.m., the sheriff’s department said White Knoll High School, Lexington High School and Lexington Technology Center were cleared of any threats.
“No credible threat has been found at this time, however, as part of our work to ensure a safe environment for students and faculty, extra deputies are on campus assisting with the investigation,” the sheriff’s department said. “Multiple law enforcement agencies are dealing with similar situations today.”
Lexington 2
Both of the district’s high schools received a threat on Thursday.
Shortly before noon, Airport High School received an email threat, Lexinfgton 2 spokeswoman Dawn Kujawa said. The school was placed on a hold, with students and teachers remaining in place in their rooms for instruction and activities, while families were notified, according to Kujawa.
“During the hold, we worked to distribute lunches to classrooms. Additional law enforcement officers were on the Airport campus,” Kujawa said in a release.
At about 1:30 p.m., with the disruption of the school day, Airport began a staggered dismissal of students, and all after-school activities on campus have been cancelled, according to Kujawa.
An investigation into the threat is continuing.
Brookland-Cayce High School received a threat on social media near the end of the school day. Kujawa said the school was placed on a hold. Students were released in a staggered dismissal at normal dismissal time. Law enforcement was notified.
Richland 1
No Richland 1 schools have been evacuated, but the district’s elementary, middle and high schools were temporarily placed on a hold status, spokeswoman Karen York told The State. That means students were told to stay put in the rooms where they were and switch to E-learning from that spot where they can continue their activities.
York said the Richland County Sheriff’s Department contacted the school district to say that several threats were made to several area schools.
“The students and staff are fine,” York said. “This is a precaution.”
At about 10:30 a.m., York said the district had received clearance from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the schools are back on their normal operations.
Parents who wish to pick their students up from school are allowed as long as they bring proper identification, York said.
At about 10:30 a.m., the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said it has been called to investigate threats at multiple high schools this week, but “at this time, we have determined that none of these threats are credible.”
Because it is an ongoing investigation, the sheriff’s department declined to provide specific details about the threats.
“The individuals behind these rumors create chaos and fear for no reason, disrupting the education and sense of safety for an entire community,” Sheriff Leon Lott said in a news release. “This is a drain on school and public safety resources. Any suspects identified can face criminal charges.”
Student safety is everyone’s priority, and the sheriff’s department said it urges school staff and parents to discern carefully what steps to take to avoid perpetuating panic. The sheriff’s department said it will continue to work with district leadership to investigate each criminal threat reported, as they determine whether to evacuate students at school or cancel in-person learning.
Lexington-Richland 5
A suspicious email was also sent to Irmo Middle School, which has been placed on a modified lockdown out of an abundance of caution, Lexington-Richland 5 spokeswoman Laura McElveen told The State at about 12:50 p.m.
A modified lockdown means students and staff can move freely within the school building, but visitors are not being allowed, according to McElveen.
“School District Five is working closely with law enforcement and will provide additional information as it is available,” McElveen said.
No other Lexington-Richland 5 schools have been affected by the ongoing situation, according to McElveen.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published February 2, 2023 at 10:15 AM.
