Seneca Valley School District responded to alleged threat rumors on social media with a statement on the district's website Thursday morning.

The statement said that the district was aware of “discussions taking place across social media platforms (parents on Facebook, students on Snapchat)” regarding a threat to the district's secondary campus, grades seven to 12.

“Please know our students and staff are safe,” the statement read. “The police have investigated these reports and have found them to be non-credible. Normally, we would not address such rumors. However, due to the wide sharing of this misinformation, we felt it important to address it at this time.”

Chief Terry Seilhamer of the Jackson Township Police Department said that the threats have “no credibility.”

“It's basically a lot of rumor that has been embellished on social media. We have thoroughly investigated it in conjunction with the school district and there is nothing to it,” Seilhamer said.

Seilhamer said the rumors began circulating over the weekend and that the department has been sending extra patrols to the campus as a precaution all week.

“We have thoroughly investigated it, and in our opinion there is no credible threat,” he said. “We have put a lot of time and effort into this as has the school district just to make sure, and just to be sure, we have added police presence over there just as a precaution. But there is absolutely no credible threat.”

The Seneca Valley statement clarified that “rumors and innuendos shared on social media only exacerbate situations in the District.”

“If you believe you have pertinent information that will help the administration or police regarding rumored threats, please contact us or the police directly,” the statement said. “We are asking for help in controlling the spread of “I heard” information on social media that further causes panic or paints the wrong picture.”

Read more in Friday's Butler Eagle