Several days after the Aberdeen School District went into heightened security for the Aberdeen High School due to potential threats to students made on social media, the school district says tonight Thursday evening investigators say evidence of a credible threat to Aberdeen students has yet to be identified.

The Investigation continues into social media posts

 The Aberdeen Police Department's investigation into a concerning social media threat this week is ongoing, but as the weekend approaches, investigators say evidence of a credible threat to Aberdeen students has yet to be identified. Sgt. Gary Sexton of the APD's Investigations Division said a search warrant has been served to the electronic media company and all leads are being followed. 

Making threats is a crime, Sgt. Sexton said, "and if the investigation reveals someone to hold accountable, we'll do it." 

The concerning information came to light late Tuesday and early Wednesday, and the investigation was conducted through the night. In the early morning hours, after conducting a threat assessment in consultation with police, Co-Superintendents Lynn Green and Traci Sandstrom made the decision to keep the school open, but to also operate with heightened security and awareness. "The Aberdeen Police Department has been a great partner in working with us on threat assessments when reports and rumors are brought to our attention," Superintendent Green said. “We want to clarify for our parents and community that a credible threat had not been identified by Wednesday morning, but we also knew information was circulating. We wanted a visible response with precautions to reflect that it was also a serious situation.” She added that it will always be challenging to find the right balance between keeping safety as the top priority, sharing as much information as possible, and maintaining a positive educational environment for students, staff and families. 

The co-superintendents said the district appreciates the information that was being brought to their attention as rumors flared on social media, but they suggest caution when posting unfounded information as fact that could make people feel threatened or unsafe.

 "Unfortunately, this is not the first time the dark side of social media has impacted our schools and community,” Superintendent Green said. "Each time has presented a different set of circumstances, and we continue to review and fine-tune our response.” 

Sgt. Sexton also suggested contacting police with any information or tips that could aid in the investigation, instead of assuming police will see the information shared on social media. It's better if reports come to us or the school directly,” he said. “We want to be partners with our parents and the schools when it comes to knowing what students are doing online."