AASD: No active threat

Alleged plot leads to 2-hour delay for schools; originators of posts identified

An alleged threat posted on social media Thursday resulted in a two-hour delay Friday for students in the Altoona Area School District.

An investigation into the alleged threat found there was no active threat to any school, students or personnel, Altoona Area Superintendent Brad Hatch said in a letter to families.

Late Thursday, Hatch said the district became aware of an alleged threat posted on social media and shared among students. The threat allegedly involved one student staying home from school Friday to later come to one of the doors and pass a gun to another student.

The threat's details were initially vague in nature, but grew in specifics as it spread through social media, Hatch said. Both AASD police and the Altoona Police Department investigated the situation.

Altoona police Sergeant Tom Venios said no arrests were made in relation to the situation. Venios said APD also determined there were no credible threats to the district Friday morning.

In response to the alleged threat, the district operated on a two-hour delay Friday and postponed a kickoff event for the district's My First Library Pilot program at the Altoona Area Public Library.

The decision to delay the start of school Friday was made solely to provide the district an opportunity to debrief with staff, Hatch said, noting staff would be "fully informed" of the situation so they could support students' concerns.

Before students arrived at the Altoona Area High School, school officials received a report that a student was already in the school's B building.

The school was briefly put into a "shelter in place" lockdown before the student was identified as the child of a staff member.

The school began normal arrival procedures at 9:20 a.m., district officials said.

Hatch said the individuals whose comments spurred the threat at Altoona Area have been identified and action will be taken against them.

"We understand the anxiety these threats cause our students and our families," Hatch said in the letter. "We experience the same feelings when we are faced with reports of safety concerns."

Hatch said the district investigates and takes all reports seriously. He stressed the importance of reporting safety concerns to the district.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.