A threatening image, widely shared among area students on the Snapchat instant messaging app, does not relate to any area schools and did not originate in Massachusetts.
Officials believe the message is the same as one also circulating in and around Portland, Maine, with the message, “I will shoot up the school.” In Haverhill, school Superintendent Margaret Marotta told the School Committee by email that high school students were advised Wednesday night there is no local connection to the message.
“However, we understand the rumor is now spreading more widely, therefore we are sharing this email with the broader school community,” Marotta told the School Committee Thursday.
The superintendent notified the Haverhill Police Department of the image as soon as it became known Wednesday afternoon. She thanked students and families for bringing the matter to the attention of school officials. Marotta also encouraged any concerns also be brought to “a trusted adult in our community.”