L.I. School Locked Down After Threat Found On Bathroom Wall
SMITHTOWN, NY (CBSNewYork) -- Police in Suffolk County were at Smithtown High West Friday after a threat was found written on a bathroom wall.
The note was written on the wall of a girls bathroom and threatened to "shoot up the school" some time Friday.
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The building was swept before students arrived and bags were searched as they entered. Police were on campus throughout the day, but students remained edgy and anxious, and kept their cell phones close.
"I think it's a scary thing and you should always be cautious and stuff," said sophomore Adam Hladky.
Though the school decided not to close Friday, Smithtown West administrators were assuring both students and parents that they took the matter very seriously. The decision not to cancel classes was based on district protocol and lessons learned through a serious of threats over the years.
Still, many parents and students insisted that classes should have been immediately called off.
"A part of me wanted them to go to school, but then I was like, 'What if something does happen?'" said parent Patricia Arse, who kept her three kids home. "I didn't want to take that chance, just in case."
A letter was sent home to parents on Thursday explaining why the school would be on lockdown, but administrators said all the extra security was just a precaution.
EXTRA: Read The Letter
School officials said they were working with investigators to try to identify the person who wrote the threat. They are also aiming to determine whether it was real or a prank, as students say that the majority of tests and quizzes tend to be given on Fridays.
"I don't really think it's a prank. I think it's a little bit more serious than that," said junior Miranda DeGregorio.
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