Rumors Pose 'No Direct Threat' To Palatine High School: Cops

PALATINE, IL — For the second time in less than a month, officials at Township High School District 211 have needed to address parents' fears concerning a possible threat to one of its schools. Palatine High School and Palatine police received reports of threatening social media messages posted Sunday, but an investigation determined that students and staff were in no danger, Principal Gary Steiger wrote in a message to parents Monday.

In a statement originally posted to the school system's website late Sunday, D211 officials said the high school had received reports that a former student intended to use guns in an attack on campus. Although those claims initially were called "unfounded rumors" by district officials, extra police officers were stationed at Palatine High School on Monday.

"We continue to monitor all possible concerns and, presently, we do not have any information to suggest any student is a threat to the school," the district said in its original statement.

According to police, detectives began investigating "rumors involving potential threats" that had been spread through a series of text messages and social media posts beginning Sunday night and into Monday morning. Investigators are continuing to question "numerous individuals" who might have received or sent the messages, and arrests will be made if those people broke any laws, police said.

"We are confident there is no direct threat to students or staff related to the rumored threats," Palatine police said in a statement late Monday afternoon. "Like any incident involving threats of violence, as a precautionary measure, parents, students and staff will see increased police presence at Palatine High School. Today’s climate dictates that all potential or perceived threats are taken very seriously; similar to yelling 'fire' in a theater or 'bomb' on a plane."

In his letter to parents, Steiger said police were able to determine the cause of the reports, and he reiterated that Palatine High School students and faculty — as well as students and faculty at the district's other schools — weren't in any danger.

"At this time, the police believe that one or more students imposed a statement over a social media picture and attributed the threatening statement to an individual student who does not attend Palatine High School and was not involved in creating the recent threatening social media message," the principal wrote in a statement posted online late Monday morning.

RELATED: Old Videos Causing Worry At D211 High School No Threat: Principal

Steiger said the reports "have been extremely disruptive" at the school. In fact, that disruption spread to other district schools and forced principals to address the situation even if the school hadn't received a threat.

"I want to assure you that Fremd High School has no imminent safety concern, and we continue to implement all safety measures," Fremd High School Principal Kurt Tenopir wrote in a message to parents. "We take your safety very seriously."

In February, the principal at James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates addressed parents' fears over a possible threat at that school after concerning videos from a former student posted on social media last year resurfaced in the wake of the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The school and the district handled the issue at the time last year, and students and faculty were in no danger then or currently, officials said.

Go to the District 211 website to read the latest statement from officials concerning a possible threat at Palatine High School.

Image via Township High School District 211