Burnsville High Schools Now Among Those Closed After Online Threat Reported

BURNSVILLE, MN — Burnsville High School and Burnsville Alternative High School were closed Tuesday after an online threat was reported, according to the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District.

District officials said the closures were made as a precaution after a threat was posted online. Students at both schools are being dismissed in an orderly fashion, with police on campus to assist with safety and dismissal procedures. All other ISD 191 schools are continuing the day as normal.

RELATED: District 196 Closes High Schools After 'Potential Threats'

"Student and staff safety is our top priority," the district said in a statement. Officials said they are working closely with Burnsville police and will continue to keep families informed as more information becomes available.

The closures in Burnsville come as neighboring Independent School District 196 also shut down all of its high schools Tuesday following reports of online threats.

According to the Apple Valley Police Department, officers were contacted around 6:45 p.m. Monday regarding multiple concerning messages posted on social media that referenced possible harm directed at several high schools within District 196, which serves Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Eagan.

Apple Valley police said detectives are actively investigating the origin of those posts and working to identify those responsible, including tracing the online accounts used to disseminate the threats.

District 196 officials said their high schools were closed out of an abundance of caution while law enforcement investigates.

Authorities have not said whether the online threats impacting ISD 191 and District 196 are related.

Both districts emphasized that safety considerations drove the decisions to close schools.

Police in both communities said investigations remain ongoing and that additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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