Threat on Lakota school remains under police investigation

Possible “terrorist threats” against a Lakota school remain under investigation by West Chester Township Police with no suspect identified.

The threat was made on the social media platform Snapchat toward Hopewell Junior School and, according to a West Chester Police report, was done on Dec. 1 and discovered by school officials on Dec. 4 with it being reported to police that day.

According to police, the possible charges a suspect or suspects connected to the incident would include “making terrorist threats.”

No arrests have been made, said Barb Wilson, spokeswoman for the township.

“Police are investigating and not releasing many details at all,” she said.

Lakota Schools officials said the suspect is not a student at the Butler County school.

Betsy Fuller, spokeswoman for Lakota Schools, said school was not in session when this was reported so there was no lockdown.

“We cannot comment further on this particular situation as it is still under investigation,” she said.

Schools in Hamilton and Madison districts also had violent threats investigated this week.

Fuller said Lakota Schools, which is the largest district in Butler County and the eighth biggest in Ohio, continues to remain vigilant in their monitoring and response to any threat involving its 23 school buildings.

“The safety and security of our students is the number one priority at Lakota Local Schools. We take every threat seriously and investigate each one thoroughly,” said Fuller.

Lakota added armed school officers (school resource officers) this school year.

The district’s schools in West Chester are patrolled by township police and Lakota’s schools in Liberty Township are guarded by deputies supplied by the Butler County Sheriff.

“We value our partnership with local law enforcement, including our school resource officers, and trust their expertise in keeping our schools safe,” Fuller said.

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