Meeker School District was one of 40+ districts targeted by an emailed hoax bomb threat Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. According to a press release from the Meeker Police Department, the threat was reported at approximately 10 a.m. “This threat was conveyed through emails sent to multiple schools across the state. Notably, the threat did not specify a particular school and seemed to originate from a ‘group,’ ” Police Chief Ed Thompson stated.
“Given the lack of specific details in the threat and in consideration of the available information, the decision was made not to evacuate the schools. However, as a precautionary measure, school personnel, along with members of both the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and the Meeker Police Department, performed a comprehensive visual inspection of all local schools. Fortunately, this thorough inspection did not reveal anything suspicious or out of the ordinary within the school premises. Despite the seriousness of the situation, no immediate threat was found, and our response aimed to ensure the safety and security of students and staff within the Meeker Schools.”
MSD released the following statement on the matter:
“This morning, the Meeker School District received an email that was very clearly a hoax bomb threat. Despite numerous clear indicators that this threat was a hoax, I have informed local law enforcement. Law enforcement concurred that the threat is not credible, but also felt it was a reasonable and appropriate precaution to walk school grounds. Thus, you might observe a greater than normal law enforcement presence on school grounds at some point during the school day today.
Through collaboration with the Meeker Police Department, we have determined there is no credibility to this threat. No threat is posed to Meeker School District students, staff, or community.”
Superintendent Chris Selle released an additional video statement, which you can view here.
This is the second threat this week after parents were notified Jan. 4 of a school shooting threat made against Barone Middle School by a student on Snapchat.
According to this week’s police blotter, “A credible threat regarding a student that was going to ‘shoot up’ Barone Middle School in Meeker was investigated by Meeker PD and Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office. Extra patrol was provided, no incident occurred.”
MSD provided the following notice to parents Jan. 4:
“Meeker School District Parents and Guardians:
This morning, the Meeker School District was contacted by the Meeker Police Department regarding a threat of school violence posted on social media last night (January 3, 2024). The social media posts referenced a shooting at Barone Middle School on Monday (January 8, 2024) and potentially another act of school violence at tonight’s high school basketball games at Meeker High School. Through collaboration with the Meeker Police Department, we have determined there is no credibility to this threat. No threat is posed to Meeker School District students, staff, or community.
The student who posted these messages on social media is currently being monitored by the Meeker Police Department. The student does not have any known access to weapons, has been instructed to stay at home, and will not be allowed on school grounds until the school district can determine appropriate next steps. The school district will take steps to ensure the safety of all students and staff. However, since those next steps will likely involve disciplinary action specific to an individual student, the school district will not share further information.”
Colorado’s Student Data Transparency and Security Act protects the confidentiality of “information that, alone or in combination, personally identifies an individual student or the student’s parent or family, and that is collected, maintained, generated, or inferred by a public education entity.” (§ 22-16-101, et. seq., C.R.S. )
Law enforcement presence was increased at the basketball games as well as at school Monday.
