District: Additional security added at schools
By: Christian LeDuc
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Public Schools received false threats against Withrow High School, Dater High School, and Western Hills High School Wednesday morning, the district said in a press release.
According to CPS, the three schools will have additional security throughout the day Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution.
Shortly after 8 a.m. a 911 caller claimed there was an active shooter at the high school, CPD said. Shortly after officers responded to the scene, they determined there was no active shooter and that the 911 caller was reporting a fake threat.
According to CPD, investigators are working to locate the source of that 911 call.
The district did not provide any additional information about the nature of the threats made against Dater High and Western Hills High school.
“Any student who is creating and or sharing these threats in an effort to disrupt our learning day will face severe consequences,” CPS said. “Any person making a real or false threat may face criminal charges and potential fines.”
In only one week, the district has faced five false threat reports.
Last Wednesday, Gamble Montessori High School was placed under a “lockout” as Cincinnati police investigated a school threat. That same day, Shroder High School was dealing with a “swatting situation.”
On Friday, two CPS students were arrested after making the false threats, police said.
In the past three months, there have been more than 12 threats made at various schools across the Tri-State, including an incident at Turpin High School where a student was charged after allegedly threatening to shoot students and blow up a bus.
Princeton High School was among several Ohio schools targeted by a national active shooter hoax in September. Police received a 911 call claiming there was an active shooter inside the school with 10 people injured. When police responded, they deemed the call a hoax.
Schools in Dayton, Springfield, Newark, Toledo and the Cleveland area all received 911 calls about possible active shooters as well, which were deemed hoaxes. WCPO affiliates in Colorado, Missouri and more also reported similar swatting situations.
Since the start of the 2022 school year, there have been more than a dozen threats made against districts, schools, teachers or students across the Tri-State.
Reposted with permission from WCPO 9 Cincinnati.