Updated at 4:09 p.m.
Police are investigating information they received Wednesday night about an apparent threat to “shoot up” Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg. State and local police were seen at the high school as students arrived for classes Thursday morning.
Hinesburg police said that around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday they learned of a threat to the school and a CVU student, as well as her friends, according to a press release issued by the department. The father of the CVU student had contacted the school and reported that a Burlington High School student had made the threat, police said.
The message, according to police, stated that the Burlington student had threatened to “shoot up the school” and that he possessed a handgun.
“As a potentially credible threat, Hinesburg Police in conjunction with Vermont State Police, Burlington PD, and CVU started an investigation into the matter,” the Hinesburg department said in the release. “We were informed by Burlington PD that officers had gone to the home of the Burlington student and were advised by his parents that he does not own a handgun.”
Bonnie Birdsall, a spokesperson for the Champlain Valley School District, said in a brief interview that the threat was “not something that we feel is putting anyone in danger.”
Thursday’s police presence was “out of an abundance of caution,” she said.
Adam Bunting, the principal of Champlain Valley Union High School, told parents and students in a Wednesday night email that school officials had learned of the threat earlier that evening.
“While the threat was issued in the past and offered no specific timeline, we immediately contacted local and state law enforcement who have conducted an investigation,” Bunting said.
In an interview, Bunting said that he did not know the exact date of the threat, but said it had been made both verbally and through social media. He emphasized that officials did not believe that the school was in danger.
“If we felt there was an imminent threat, we certainly would have canceled school,” he said.
Students had planned to walk out of the school Thursday to protest gun violence, Bunting said, but had postponed those plans in light of the threat.
“While I am in full support of our students using their voices to advocate for change, I would urge them to select a different day for a protest,” Bunting said in his email.
Burlington High School principal Lauren McBride told families that school administrators had learned of the threat late Wednesday evening.
“Since then, I have been working with CVU, BHS and (Burlington School District) leaders, and local law enforcement who have conducted an investigation,” McBride said in a Thursday morning email. “I want to reiterate that the police department has informed me that there is currently no credible threat of violence and that our school community is safe.”
Russ Elek, a spokesperson for the Burlington School District, said he could not comment on any potential disciplinary actions taken in response to the threat.
The matter remains under investigation.
The Hinesburg Police said there would be a police presence at the school as students arrived Thursday and that police would provide heightened coverage throughout the day.
