Benton schools get email threat

Benton police were investigating Tuesday after officials with the city's school district received a threatening email, authorities said.

A technology coordinator received the threatening email through the district's website, prompting all school campuses to be placed on lockdown, said Benton School District Superintendent Mike Skelton.

Police and school administrators visited the schools Tuesday, Skelton said, before the district sent its employees home for the day as a precautionary measure.

School was not in session Tuesday, he said, and there were not a lot of employees at school facilities at the time of the lockdown.

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Skelton declined to reveal the specifics of the email but said it threatened the Benton School District and was specific to Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Skelton said the district planned to hold classes today unless the situation changed.

A Benton police spokesman said the department stepped up patrols around the schools in response to the email threat.

Police said in a statement Tuesday that there is an ongoing investigation in coordination with the school district.

Metro on 01/04/2017

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