School Officials Strike Down Rumors at Old Mill

Administrators at Old Mill High School on Monday were forced to respond to rumors of a planned shooting at the school, but insisted that there is no indication that a real threat exists.

School principal James Todd said he fielded more than a dozen calls from parents who were concerned about the rumor that there would be a shooting at the school Friday. He said the school began working with police early Monday morning and found no substance to the information.

"I want you to be assured that we heard the rumor as well and we were working with county police even before students arrived today," Todd said in a letter to parents. "We have interviewed every student whose name was brought to our attention and pursued every piece of information we have been given. At this time, we have nothing to indicate this was anything but a rumor."

News of the school's response to the rumor was first reported by the Baltimore Sun.

In the letter, Todd urged parents to tell their children not to spread the rumors, which came just three days after a gunman killed 26 people at an elementary school in Connecticut before turning the gun on himself. 

Anne Arundel County Public Schools spokesman Bob Mosier told the Sun that it was unclear how the rumor started. But he said the school system was happy that it came to light.

"Given what happened in Connecticut on Friday, we were alerted to it, and thankfully so," he told the Sun. "We'd prefer to hear about rumors that are not credible than to not be aware of rumors that are."