There will be extra security and a police presence at Coginchaug Regional High School in Durham and other Regional District 13 schools after a student was charged with making threatening posts on social media.
State police said they started receiving calls about a concerning Instagram post Thursday. According to police, the post referenced the Florida school shooter and mentioned possible violence at Coginchaug High School.
Investigators traced the post back to a juvenile student, who admitted to making the post. He also told police he never planned to follow through on the threat.
On Friday, police were informed of another Instagram post, this was with a harassing message directed at a school employee. According to police, investigators identified the poster as the same student who made the previous post about violence.
The student was charged with second-degree threatening and breach of peace for the first incident, and second-degree harassment and breach of peace in the second incident. He is due on court on March 7.
In a message to the school community, Superintendent Kathryn Veronesi said the student would not be allowed back on school grounds for the time being.
“I have had consistent communication with the student’s family since Thursday evening,” Veronesi wrote. “The family is deeply saddened by the events that have occurred and are distraught about the impact this has had on other students and the school community. They have assured me that their child does not currently, nor has ever had, access to firearms. In addition, they further confirmed that their child did not intend to carry out any acts of violence.”
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Police will be at Coginchaug High throughout the day Monday, and troopers will make visits at the district’s four other schools throughout the day.
To read the full message from the superintendent, click here.
