NEWFANE — A juvenile girl has been arrested following an investigation by multiple local law enforcement agencies into a series of social media threats made toward Newfane and Lockport school districts.
The arrest stems from a joint investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau and the City of Lockport Police Detective Bureau. The girl has been charged with one count of making a threat of mass harm.
Sheriff Michael Filicetti said that his office had become aware of “vague” threats against schools statewide, including Newfane and Lockport, and “out of an abundance of caution” they are responding to incidents.
“We are reacting to specific threats against the schools,” Filicetti said. “There are unnamed actors who have been circulating these threats that are being investigated statewide. There is no credibility to these threats.”
Officials from multiple Western New York school districts were operating under heightened security due to “perceived” threats from social media posts on Tuesday.
In a communication sent to district residents Tuesday afternoon, Lockport City School District Superintendent Mathis Calvin III said officials were actively “addressing concerns related to posts on Snapchat that could be perceived as potential threats” toward the district.
“Earlier today, we were notified about a post that has been circulating among some of our students and parents. This post contains information concerning our district as well as a neighboring district. Please rest assured that we are actively investigating the matter in collaboration with local law enforcement. We take any concerns of this nature very seriously and are following our district’s code of conduct to guide our actions,” Calvin wrote.
Newfane Central School District Superintendent James Lupini also told district residents in a letter they addressed similar concerns by increasing presence and visibility from both the sheriff’s office and state police personnel, also noting that any scheduled drills were canceled today.
“Please know with the assistance of our School Resource Officer Deputy Ray Needle we were in immediate contact with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. As a precautionary measure aligned with other schools in the region, we have enhanced our security measures within the district today,” the letter reads in part.
A follow-up communication from Lupini to told district parents also stated that the threat was “non-credible” and the juvenile was arrested.
“We understand that this situation has caused anxiety for students, staff, and families. We kindly ask that you speak with your children about the importance of reporting concerns directly to our school personnel and not sharing unverified information on social media. Sharing unverified information can lead to unnecessary confusion and worry, which negatively impacts our learning environments,” Lupini wrote.
On Monday, the Clarence Central School District announced it had also undertaken heightened security measures in light of similar threats.
“While the situations are alarming for us all, it is important to note that the individuals responsible are generally focused on creating a sense of alarm and disruption as opposed to any real harm,” Superintendent Matthew Frahm said in a statement, adding, “While the likelihood of actual danger is low, we believe that being cautious and prepared is essential to ensuring a safe, focused learning environment.”
Neither district communication specified the contents or origin of the post.
The superintendents also encouraged anyone with questions or concerns to contact their school’s principal.