It’s been a week since Benton Schools issued a statement about a threat at the Junior High, now Benton Police Department (BNPD) says they and the school district are investigating another one. BNPD stresses that kids should tell school administrators or the authorities right away if they know of a threat.
Read the full statement below:
“Benton Police Department and Benton Public School officials were alerted Tuesday September 17th to a possible school violence threat.
After initial investigation, it was determined that a Benton student and multiple other individuals shared a screenshot of a post containing a threat directed at an undisclosed location. Additionally, detectives determined the post dates back to as early as the 16th, rendering the initial post as an expired threat.
Despite these facts, all threats are taken seriously by BNPD and Benton Public Schools and will always be dealt with accordingly.
We want to reassure parents and students that it remains safe to attend school. School resource officers remain present in all schools, and BNPD patrol officers continue to do random walk-throughs.
We urge parents to take this opportunity to discuss with their children the importance of reporting threats, regardless of the medium in which they are made, rather than engaging in circulating them online.
Please remind them of the importance of notifying school administrators or the authorities immediately if they see or hear something concerning. **Their vigilance is vital in keeping our school community safe.**
Together, we can ensure a safe and secure environment for all students. Thank you for your partnership and support.”