Authorities deem Independence middle school threat not credible

Independence police say they found a threat on social media regarding Bridger Middle School to be not credible, and they had extra officers at the school Friday as a precaution.

According to police, officers learned from a parent about 7:30 p.m. Thursday of a threat circulating on SnapChat, stating that a student would bring a gun to school the next day and harm a staff member. School resource officers in IPD and Independence School District officials talked with parents and students and as of Friday afternoon deemed the threat non-credible, though the investigation is ongoing.

In its release IPD says parents should monitor their child's social media usage and be familiar with different social media apps and how they work.

“When threats like this are made, it is very important that they be reported as soon as possible,” police said.

The incident at Bridger happened in the same week of a fatal mass shooting at a Michigan high school, and the Blue Springs School District investigated more than one threatening graffiti message left in a high school restroom. Police there identified a student for one of the messages Thursday and took him into custody.

The incident also comes several weeks after police investigated a social media threat made by a Pioneer Ridge Middle School student, identified her and took the girl into custody after meeting her in the parking lot at the school. The girl did not have a weapon when police located her as a parent dropped her off at school.

This article originally appeared on The Examiner: Authorities deem Independence middle school threat not credible