Classes will resume at First Flight schools Thursday; criminal charges sought in threats

First Flight High School [Dare County schools photo]

Class will resume Thursday at First Flight high school, middle school and elementary school following today’s bomb threat that closed all three schools for the day.

The threat, posted as a comment on a story at OBXToday.com, followed a Snapchat shooting threat on Monday that sent all three schools in Kill Devil Hills into lockdown.

In a note emailed to parents and guardians on Wednesday afternoon, Dare County schools superintendent John Farrelly said teachers and guidance staff will be offering counseling services to students experiencing anxiety and trauma from this week’s events.

In Monday’s incident, authorities have determined the Snapchat threat was made by one First Flight High School student against another, though initial indications were that the threat was directed at the school, Farrelly said. Criminal action against that student is pending.

In today’s threat, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office and school officials became aware of the threatening comment on OBXToday’s story about Monday’s incident about 6:30 a.m.

Though Farrelly called the incident a “hoax,” Dare County detectives are working with several law-enforcement agencies, including federal authorities, to identify the person who posted the threat.

“I’m confident that at the conclusion of this investigation, the suspect will be held accountable to the highest degree of the law,” he said. “It is a felony in the state of North Carolina to make a threat of mass destruction on a school. These threats are never taken lightly.”

OBXToday is cooperating fully with the sheriff’s office on the case.

School officials have taken and are taking several other steps to support students in the aftermath of this week’s threats, and is planning an open forum for parents after the holidays.

“I regret that situations like these occur. However, I am incredibly thankful for the support of our local law enforcement agencies and a dedicated group of school administrators that react vigilantly to ensure that our schools remain the safest campuses in North Carolina, and arguably the nation,” Farrelly said.

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About Kari Pugh 1073 Articles
Kari Pugh is digital director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, 94.5 WCMS and News Talk 92.3 WZPR. Reach her at kpugh@jammediallc.com