The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
A cell phone text message threatening a shooting at Landstown High School on Friday may be an extension of a “229” Leap Day threat that has its roots in Pennsylvania.
School system officials and police said tonight that there is no evidence that the message, which spread like wildfire Thursday evening, is anything other than a bad hoax.
“There’s no indication that there is anything valid to it whatsoever,” said Margie Long, a police spokeswoman.
Still, a half dozen parents said they are worried enough that they will not send their children to class at the school Friday.
The message reads: “On Friday Feb. 29 Landstown High School will be shot up at 8:30 a.m. Tell anybody you want but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Melissa John said her 17-year-old daughter received the message at 6:58 p.m. She called police, as did many parents and students.
“It’s kind of scary,” she said. “It upsets me. This is my child’s senior year and she should be enjoying it, not being scared to go to to school.” But John said sending her to class is not worth the risk “in this day and age.”
She said she had spoken with several other parents who felt the same way.
Some who called The Virginian-Pilot were not only nervous for their children, but very angry – and hopeful that police are able to track down the source.
But it may be a case of someone simply modifying and forwarding a Leap Day threat that school officials in Pennsylvania have been dealing with for weeks.
Numerous school districts there are beefing up security today and have sent letters home to parents to allay fears about widespread but, thus far, unfounded rumors that Friday “will be a day of rebellion against authority,” The (Allentown, Pa.) Morning Call reported Thursday.
The threats there have been different and have spread on internet sites as well as by text message, but also are tied to today’s date.
Locally, Nancy L. Soscia, a school system spokeswoman, said the “unsubstantiated rumor has done a really good job of getting out there.”
Classes will be held as scheduled, however, although she said extra security will be in place with more police on campus.
“No matter how insignificant the threat is, we are going to work with the police to investigate its source,” Soscia said. “It’s a horrible thereat and I hope the police are able to trace it.”
Long said a detective has been assigned to the case in an effort to learn the source.
Steve Stone, (757) 446-2309, steve.stone@pilotonline.com
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People are over-demanding idiots, that's why.
They're upset because the school didn't notify them. Keep in mind that most of the text messages were received by the kids between 7:30 pm and 3:00 am, after school was out, and the majority of families are either out of the house or asleep. These people think the school should have taken the time and effort to run through the files of every child that attends that school and call each and every home to tell them about the problem, without realizing that just coordinating the people and materials needed to do so would take so long, they'd only have about half the school called by the time the opening bell rung for first period.
In ahort, most people are whiny simpletons who jump on any chance to ridicule this town, school system, and people who are in authoritative positions without knowing even 5 percent of the truth.
You all are ridiculous
I am a student at Landstown High and I can't get it through my head why you parents are so whiny. I went to school on Friday and I'm alive and breathing. NOTHING HAPPENED! The school was secure and if they did catch 3 kids with guns then the police did they're jobs and the kids were safe. As for getting the word out, that was the parents fault. Next time you should keep your mouths shut and your ears open so that you'll know when a threat happens. HOORAH LANDSTOWN!!!
Threat to schools
I, too, made the decision to keep my daughter home on 2/29. After checking the security at Princess Anne, I decided there was not enough being done to secure the school. No lockdown procedures were in place and students were being permitted to enter the building at several locations. It seems that with the number and severity of incidents that have occurred in the last year that more precautions would have been in place. The school system needs to revisit their procedures for situations like the one on Friday. Extra security and students entering through one door would have been a good first step.
Hoax
"I am a student at Landstown High School. I heard that 3 students were caught with guns, and one student was caught with an ax on the bus."
Well if you heard it, it must be true, right? Stop treating gossip as fact.
Landstown gun threat
What is wrong with our fine city and the VB City Public Schools? Why on earth would you not take a threat, hoax or not seriously? Are the lives of our children really not that important to you? When I was told by my daughter at 8:00 a.m. as I was walking out the door to work that she received messages about the threat I called her school, Landstown Middle, and spoke with her grade level principal. She told me oh my husband told me it is just a hoax. We guarantee nothing will happen today the kids are safe. She also said if the kids were not illegally using cell phones at school to text the high school this would not have happened. I am glad they did have their phones what if they were stuck in a room with a gun man outside and needed help?! Lady you can't guarantee me that the sun will rise tomorrow so do not ever tell me you guarantee my daughters life is not at risk in your school. Why don't you tell that to the parents who lost their children at VA Tech and Northern Illinois. I am sure their response to you would not be positive. That our city can be so naive after all that has happened in recent memory is simply mind boggling to me.
I am a student at Landstown
I am a student at Landstown High School. I heard that 3 students were caught with guns, and one student was caught with an ax on the bus. Why weren't the parents notified? Why did I find out through a text. I feel as if the school was gambling with our lifes. I would rather know about a threat, and creat chaos, than to never of known and be shot. The Principle should be replaced. We can be notified about PTA meetings and Attendence, but when it comes to the most serious thing, we are left clueless. My mother was so angry, and scared for the fact that she was not givin the right as a parent to know that her child may have been in danger. Landstown needs help. Landstown officials are a joke.
I think they did all they could....
The VBCPS website doesn't even mention Princess Anne High having an incident today. They only addressed the Landstown issue. I find it hard to believe that they arrested 3 students with guns and nothing about it was on the news. In any case, if a student did have plans to shoot up the schools, I doubt he/she would broadcast it. All the college campus and school shootings were all without warning. There was enough security at PA today. It looked like half the police force was their..and their dogs. I think that the situation was handled as best as it could have been considering this really didn't make the rounds until late last night after school was out. There is so much misinformation out there, its hard to figure out what is true.
Looks like all of you who
Looks like all of you who posted comments should have been in school to get your writing and spelling skills in check. Parents, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Learn the English language!
Leap Day Threats
This didn't just happen at Landstown. It happened at Princess Anne and First Colonial. At first colonial, one kid brought an ax to school. I go to PA and the threat circulated yesterday. Only half the students came to school, I almost didn't. The administration said they didn't hear about it yesterday, that's a lie. Because students were telling everybody yesterday about the threat and teachers heard about it, it was in the girl's bathroom. I actually heard that a guy wrote it, and his name is Anthony, that's just the rumour. This isn't just a VA Beach thing or a Virginia thing. This happened in North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and in Norfolk. This is like an east coast hoax. It was so scary because of the recent college and mall shootings.
About Landstown High School Hoax
The estamated students that showed up was about 400/2000+. My son went to school and was only told about this AFTER HE WAS ON THE BUS!!!! This is an major error in miscommunication. The principal, Mr. Baxter, along with the entire schoolboard should be kicked out and replaced with people who know what to do when there is an emergency like this.
On the plus side they did have security everywhere along with teachers who followed rules precisely. I honor them. They, along with security are the real heroes for keeping the school together in a choatic moment.