District 196 Closes High Schools After 'Potential Threats'

EAGAN, MN — District 196 closed all of its high schools Tuesday after police received reports of online threats referencing potential violence, officials said.

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 Independent School District 196.

Detectives are actively investigating the origin of the posts and working to identify the individuals responsible, including efforts to trace the online accounts used to disseminate the threats, police said.

District 196 said the decision to close high schools was made out of an abundance of caution while law enforcement continues its investigation.

“Safety is always our first priority,” the district said in a statement. “We are acting with safety as our first priority to cancel schools today to allow law enforcement to fully investigate this situation.”

Students who were already on campus at the time of the announcement were dismissed in an orderly fashion, with buses returning students home, according to the district.

High school campuses are closed to visitors.

Police said they are working closely with District 196 administrators to ensure school officials have the most current information as the investigation continues. Additional updates are expected as more information becomes available.

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