Social media posts about a possible school threat in the U.S. led to a police investigation at a rural Nova Scotia high school with a similar name.
Kings District RCMP said they responded Monday morning to Central Kings Rural High School in Cambridge, N.S. after they received information threats had been made against the school.
RCMP Const. Jeff Wilson told Global News a few RCMP officers were at the school in the morning, and that it was placed briefly in a “hold and secure” mode.
Police later discovered the threats were actually connected to posts made about an American school with a similar name.
“Probably shortly after, classes started,” he said. “We had a very good idea it was linked to the U.S.”
Other Canadian, American police investigating threats against ‘Central High School’
Police departments elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. have investigated threats over the past few days at schools named “Central.”
St. Thomas Police Service in Ontario reported they too received calls on Monday reporting alleged threats of a school shooting at “Central High School.”
However, St. Thomas police said the Snapchat video was originally from Missouri, “where three youths were arrested in connection with the threat.”
“The post is now spreading nationwide as almost every city has a school with ‘Central’ in the name causing widespread concern,” St. Thomas Police Service said in a statement.
Calgary Police Service also said they were investigating what they called a “swatting event” involving an American high school.
That police force said they received “multiple” calls about a Snapchat message “indicating a threat towards a high school.”
They said the threats appeared to involve a Central High School in the U.S. and that they would be working with American law enforcement counterparts in the investigation.