Schools
Malden Police Monitoring TikTok 'Gun Violence' Challenge
A nationwide TikTok challenge that reportedly encourages teens to threaten school violence has police monitoring schools as a precaution.
MALDEN, MA — Police and school officials in Malden are aware of a TikTok challenge that's sparking concern in districts across the country.
The trend reportedly encourages students to threaten gun violence at their schools on Friday, Dec. 17.
In an email to Patch, Malden Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy wrote that police are monitoring the schools as a precaution.
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Other school districts in Massachusetts have warned about the challenge but say they do not believe there is a "credible threat" of violence. Andover Superintendent Magda Parvey said the threat originated in Texas and has been trending on the popular social media platform.
According to some reports, the December challenge is one of several in a string of monthly challenges stemming from the app.
Find out what's happening in Maldenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In September, another challenge called "Devious Licks" encouraged raucous acts of vandalism at schools. To participate in the challenge, students and TikTok users shattered mirrors, stole soap dispensers, fire alarms and football field turf, and intentionally clogged toilets, all while filming the antics to post on TikTok.
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