A multi-agency investigation into online threats made against a Monroe school were found to not be credible, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday.
BCSO and other law enforcement agencies investigated the validity of a recent Snapchat threat to a Monroe school being shared across the nation and determined there was no direct connection to the rural Benton County school.
“For example, there is a city of Monroe in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Washington and Wisconsin. So what happens when a threat is made to a Monroe school, people think Monroe, Oregon is being threatened,” Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall said. “What we are really trying to do is to educate students that if they see a threat, they need to report it to their parents or law enforcement immediately, instead of sharing it on social media.”
It’s the fourth threat-related incident involving a regional school over a five-day period. This past Thursday, police arrested a juvenile in Sweet Home for making a threat toward the high school. There were also incidents in Philomath and Albany.
BCSO is asking parents and guardians to discuss with children the importance of responsible social media use and to report school threats to adults.
“The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority,” the Monroe School District posted on its Facebook page. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we continue to ensure a secure and supportive environment for everyone.”
The sheriff’s office said it would have an increased presence at Monroe schools for their reopening Tuesday.