Authorities in Kansas have responded to a list circulating on TikTok that they believe suggested a shooting threat to a number of schools.
The Junction City Police Department said in a press release posted to Facebook on September 11 that Junction City Middle School was one of those listed, but that after a thorough investigation no credible evidence of an immediate threat was found.
Authorities believe the social media post was part of an online trend they say has become prevalent in other districts in Kansas, as well as other states. Newsweek has contacted TikTok for comment via email.
In response to the threats, even though they were ruled unfounded, the Junction City Police Department announced they would maintain police presence at schools across the district in the coming days as a precaution.
Newsweek reached out to Junction City Middle School and Geary County School District for comment via email.
A young person using the social media app TikTok on their phone, photographed on December 11, 2019. Junction City Police Department in Kansas recently had to respond to a threat against the local middle school made on TikTok.
Peter Byrne/Associated Press
The Junction City Police Department noted that the list included various other Title 1 schools in the state, which are high-poverty schools that receive federal funding, according to the Kansas State Department of Education.
The police department also said that similar threats have been reported in other states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, according to the department press release.
Regarding keeping the community safe, the Junction City Police Department wrote in the release, “We encourage all community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or concerns to the Junction City Police Department immediately. Our priority is always the safety of our students and staff, and we will continue to work diligently to maintain that safety.”
Newsweek has reached out to Junction City Police Department for comment via email.
It comes after another threat of a school shooting made on social media in Madison, Florida, on September 8, which resulted in the banning of book bags and duffel bags in elementary schools as a safety precaution, as Newsweek previously reported.
Local authorities were able to locate and arrest an individual they believe was responsible for the threatening post, identified as a 13-year-old male juvenile, as Newsweek previously reported.
This follows the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, where 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly shot and killed four individuals, two students, and two teachers, and injured nine others, as Newsweek previously reported.
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