Flint school loses Dec. 3 due to shooting threats
Flint Police say a threat to shoot up Flint Southwestern Academy has prompted the academy to suspect academic activities for Friday, Dec. 3rd. The Community Schools officials announced the district, alongside all districts in Genesee County stating that “an abundance of caution” due threats received throughout the county, including a threat to “shoot up” the school, the school will not be opening on Friday.
Authorities say a 17-year-old student posted a video online rapping about shooting up Southwestern “like Oxford,” on Dec. 2nd, 2021. The assistant principal was alerted to the incident and made a report to the Flint police. In-person instruction will resume Monday, Dec. 6th
“Keeping our community informed is essential to the partnership we have developed with you and to ensure there is an open line of communication….To that end, we wanted to let you know that we did receive a threat at Southwestern Classical Academy this morning and immediately contacted local law enforcement who determined the threat was not credible. We take threats against the school district seriously. Thus, the scholar was detained by the police and further legal action is being considered,” “We recognize that tragic events like the recent shooting at Oxford High School often result in an increase of threat warnings to all school districts across the state and nationwide. Our hearts are with the Oxford community and those impacted during this difficult time.
Superintendent Kevelin Jones wrote in a letter to students and families.
Officials say the unidentified student will face charges as a juvenile, and with one count of false threats of terrorism and one count of using a computer to commit a crime, each a 20-year felony.
Threats can be reported to the State of Michigan’s Okay2Say tip line @8-555-OK2SAY or [email protected] to the district closure, the community forum set to take place at Pierce Elementary on Dec. 3 is also cancelled.
