Online 'threat' closes BC3
Butler County Community College evacuated and closed its main campus for the day and other local schools took safety precautions in response to a “general threat to schools” posted online Thursday morning.
A statement from BC3 said that college officials learned from Butler Township police about a threat on a social media channel consisting of “a photograph of a message written on a white concrete block wall.”
The statement said the threat referenced Oak Hills and Sept. 30, and “pinned” BC3's main campus, which is located on the former Oak Hills Golf Course.
BC3 officials were made aware the threat may have been posted locally.
At 9:49 a.m., an email went out from the BC3 alert system stating that the BC3 Main Campus would “evacuate and close for the day in response to info received by BC3 officials.”
The statement about closing precautions was also posted on the college's Twitter account.The campus was evacuated and closed by 10 a.m.A message from the college's alert system just before 5 p.m. said that BC3 police completed a search of the main campus after the possible threat, and that no threat was found.The main BC3 campus remained closed Thursday and will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday morning.The statement from BC3 said that college officials reviewed “white concrete block walls within classrooms and other facilities on its main campus.”Eric Kunz, a parent of a BC3 student, said on Facebook that his wife dropped his daughter off at BC3 around 9:25 a.m. and then had to return to pick her up after she was told to “leave ASAP.”“My daughter said the students and staff that she did see were just as confused as she was,” Kunz said.Threat posted onlineButler Township police Lt. Matt Pearson said his department received notice from another police department in Ohio about a “vague” threat that could be attributed to the area.Pearson said the threat was made through a Snapchat message, and that on the message Oak Hills was referenced.He said the department in Ohio found no credible threat at its nearby Oak Hill School District.“They contacted us, and we notified the schools,” Pearson said.Pearson said authorities do not know where the message originated from at this time, but he noted the area around BC3 is referenced by some as Oak Hills, a census-designated place.“We can't rule it out, so that's why we passed the information along,” Pearson said.State Trooper Joshua Black said in an email that state police at the Butler barracks were aware of the threats.“At this time, PSP Butler doesn't have an active (role) in the investigation,” Black wrote. “If requested, PSP Butler will assist local police departments with this investigation.”School districts take precautionsLocal law enforcement informed Butler Area School District officials of an online threat, according to a message sent to families in the district by Superintendent Brian White.White said the threat did not specifically identify Butler Area School District or any of its schools. School police officers and local law enforcement were asked to increase their patrols around BASD schools, White said.“We take all potential threats seriously, and as per our letter our officers are increasing patrols,” White said. “At this time, we do not plan to evacuate. If law enforcement asks us to engage in different precautions, we will.”“Should this be the genesis of one of our students, we will engage in all appropriate disciplinary action under the student code of conduct and under Pennsylvania State Law,” he wrote in the letter. “Additionally, restitution for additional costs to the school district and law enforcement will be pursued.”Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School and Karns City Area School District also sent out messages about the situation.“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” Karns City Area School District Superintendent Eric Ritzert wrote.“Our school police officers have increased patrols and are working cooperatively with local law enforcement. At this time, we will continue to operate on a normal schedule,” Ritzert said in the statement. “If you see or hear any disturbing statements involving our school or our students, please remember to immediately report it to the school and local law enforcement.”
