Reported “Suicide Pact” Causes Alarm at Area Schools

One student reportedly made a threat against the high school

A report of a possible "suicide pact" caused two Massachusetts schools to declare a shelter in place on Thursday.

Police in Winthrop, Massachusetts, said they were alerted at 9:49 a.m. of a suicide pact that had been posted on social media. The pact was between a student from Winthrop and a student from Tewksbury. The Winthrop student also made a threat against the high school.

Both schools were secured and both students were stopped and held, Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty said. He said both students are safe and are getting the attention they need.

Winthrop School Superintendent John Macero put out a call to parents to let them know what happened, and the school was placed on hold until the issue was resolved.

Initial reports were that schools in Woburn and Manchester, New Hampshire, might be involved in the pact as well, but Manchester school officials said none of their students were involved. Calls to Woburn school officials were not immediately returned.

Tewksbury School Superintendent John O'Connor said Thursday that it is not believed that it was a suicide pact. 

"We've learned that there were three girls communicating," he said. "They have never met one another and the communication was brief."

O'Connor said one girl threatened to harm herself, and another student threatened to bring a gun to school. The third girl involved in the conversation asked if they could get Wendy's first.

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