MAHANOY CITY, Pa. — Schools in the Mahanoy Area School District stood empty on Tuesday. District officials opted for virtual classes after receiving a threat against the district.
Following a similar incident last week, the district attorney's office is warning students, assuring them these threats are taken seriously.
For the second time in as many weeks, a school district in Schuylkill County was forced to close because of threats. Last week, Blue Mountain School District shut down after a ninth-grader allegedly made comments on Snapchat warning of a school shooting.
Mahanoy Area School District closed after receiving threats Monday night. Investigators have not said where they came from.
Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O'Pake said several years ago, students were making threats regularly.
"We were getting one in every week, and I think a lot of it was that some of the students were looking at it from the perspective of, 'well, they're going to close down the school. We're going to get the day off,'" he said.
While a day free of classes may seem worth it to some, O'Pake said making these threats will have life-altering consequences.
"It's not a childish prank, and it's not going to be treated that way, nor should it be treated that way," O'Pake said.
Police said they found and removed guns from the home of the ninth-grader at Blue Mountain. The boy was suspended from school and could face expulsion. He's under house arrest, charged as a juvenile for making terroristic threats.
"In fact, it could rise to the level of a felony of the third degree. A felony of the third degree could stay on someone's record for the rest of their lives," O'Pake said. "Even as a juvenile, it could follow them into adult court."
O'Pake said law enforcement thoroughly investigates any threats made to schools, taking valuable resources and time.
"Police officers are employed to do their job wherever it is, and if it's in a school district, obviously that's where they'll respond, and that's where they'll go," he said. "But if all their resources are being directed to the school district, then they're not able to patrol other areas within their municipality."
In a message posted to its Facebook page, Mahanoy Area School District informed parents the investigation into the potential threat has concluded. Schools are set to reopen Wednesday morning for full in-person instruction.
There is no word from police on if any charges were filed in this case.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline.