At least five schools across Arkansas faced threats Thursday, the day for which the FBI said it had received an unsubstantiated and vague shooting threat against an unnamed Arkansas school a few days ago.
Of the incidents statewide, at least four resulted in students being taken into custody. None of the schools report active threats or danger.
In Gravette, a student posted a threat against the middle school Wednesday night, according to a post on the city’s Facebook page. A Facebook post from Gravette High School said the student was taken into custody by police.
The Gravette Police Department, school district and the city were not immediately available for comment.
In Springdale, a school district spokesman said in a statement a student at the Don Tyson School of Innovation was taken into custody by police around 11 a.m. Thursday after administrators were notified he had brought a BB gun to campus.
In Jonesboro, a student is in police custody after stating in his class at Success Achievement Academy “I am the school shooter,” according to a statement from Superintendent Kim Wilbanks on the police department’s Facebook page.
The district believes the words were referencing the vague threat reported by the FBI. The student was removed from class, searched and questioned. Wilbanks said in the post the student did not have a weapon.
A threat written on a bathroom wall at Paris High School triggered a district-wide lockdown Thursday, according to a Facebook post on a school district page. School administrators identified two students believed to be responsible, based on video footage and handwriting samples, and notified their parents. They were taken into Paris police custody, according to the post.
Blytheville School District and city police posted identical statements on social media Thursday that read, “It has come to our attention that an individual has posted information on social media concerning our schools. All school campuses in Blytheville are safe and secure.”