Classes canceled after social media threat involving St. Mary's High School in Phoenix
Low attendance and an "abundance of caution" prompted St. Mary's Catholic High School officials to cancel classes Thursday after a threat against the school spread on social media Wednesday night.
Details about the alleged threat were unclear, but the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix said it began as an issue between two students on campus Wednesday.
Diocese spokesman Rob DeFrancesco later said school officials became aware of the alleged threat Wednesday night and "immediately" contacted law enforcement.
A statement issued by the diocese Thursday morning on behalf of St. Mary's said while police "are still investigating the matter, they did not deem this a credible threat, and at no point were students in danger."
But a Phoenix police spokeswoman indicated that wasn't quite right.
"The school is interviewing one of the students involved," Det. Marianne Ramirez said by email Thursday morning. "Right now, we don't have all the details if it's a valid threat. Also, the school is taking precautionary measures until they figure this out."
Parents weren't officially notified until Thursday morning. An email sent to parents by St. Mary's Assistant Principal Kevin Muir had an 8:36 a.m. timestamp. And that has some parents steamed.
"As many of you are aware, there was a rumored school threat against Saint Mary’s. We are aware of the threat and we will be working with the police on handling the issue," Muir's email said. "Out of an abundance of caution and because many students did not come to school today, we are going to cancel school for the day. We will provide places on campus for our students to wait until they are picked up. School will resume as normal tomorrow. More information will be provided soon."
Parent Eddie Martinez was in the shower when a co-worker called at 7:23 a.m. to tell him that there had been a threat and not to send his son to school. The teen's first class begins at 7:55 a.m.
Martinez's co-worker, Cristina Peralta, has two daughters who also attend St. Mary’s. “Did you hear?” she asked him. “Don’t send your son to school today – there’s supposed to be a shooting.”
Martinez called his son, Eddie Jr., 15, who was at his mother’s house, and told him not to go to school.
Then, Martinez said he and Peralta headed to the school, angry that school officials had not warned parents.
“What were they thinking? Let’s say this guy did come? Were they prepared? What was the plan?” Martinez said.
St. Mary's Catholic High School is located near Third Street and Virginia Avenue in Phoenix.
The incident was the latest in a series of threats made against schools in the Valley and nationwide in the wake of a shooting that killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14. The shooting suspect is a former student.
A viral social-media threat against an unspecified high school with the initials "SHS'' caused a stir among communities and school districts across the country Wednesday night, including Mesa.
The Mesa Unified School District sent an email and voice-message blast to families at Skyline High School and Superstition High School Wednesday night, saying police had checked into a social-media post and determined it was not a valid threat.
Also in Arizona, an 18-year-old Coronado High School student was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of posting an apparent threat against the school on social media, Scottsdale police said.
A 16-year-old boy accused of threatening to shoot up his former high school in Chino Valley was questioned by authorities Wednesday and referred for a mental-health evaluation and treatment.
Return to azcentral.com for updates.
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