Schools in Central Oregon resumed after their holiday breaks Tuesday, despite vague threats of violence shared on social media.
The threat, which showed a picture of a firearm and told students living in Central Oregon not to attend school Tuesday, appears to have originated from an IP address in Portland, according to Redmond School District spokesperson Holly Brown.
Brown said District Superintendent Charan Cline sent a note to all staff asking them to remain vigilant and follow district policies. Brown added that school was able to resume with guidance from law enforcement.
“Our partnership with law enforcement is the most important thing when we receive these threats,” she said. “So, we are really grateful for that.”
The Warm Springs Police Department has taken the lead on the investigation into the threat and noted on social media that it is working with the FBI to learn more.
The Warm Springs Police Department Investigations team in conjunction with the FBI, have been investigating the threat...
Posted by Warm Springs Police Department on Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Scott Maben, the director of communications for Bend-LaPine Schools, said the threat did not directly name schools in that district and they resumed as planned Tuesday.
Still, police departments across the region said they were stepping up patrols to ensure student safety on the first day back.
“Bend Police are aware of a social media post that threatened violence in various school districts around Central Oregon,” Bend police spokesperson Sheila Miller said in a statement. “Our officers planned an increased presence around schools today.”
Many schools across Oregon, as well as places of worship, received hoax bomb threats in December. Similar threats of violence to schools regularly occurred last year across the state and have resulted in arrests. In September, police arrested a Bend teenager for making alleged threats against Summit High School.