BURLINGTON – Chief Thomas Browne reports that the Burlington Police Department identified and interviewed a juvenile male responsible for a concerning social media post and determined there is no threat to the public.
On Tuesday, Burlington High School administrators were informed of an anonymous Instagram account, on which someone made a post indicating a desire to cause harm at the school prior to winter break.
The threatening language was generalized, but out of an abundance of caution police still increased their presence at the school and worked to identify the source of the account and concerning language.
A juvenile male was identified as the subject responsible for the post, and that individual and one of his parents have since been interviewed by Burlington Police. Investigators found no evidence of forethought or planning prior to the post being made.
“We take all threats and threatening language seriously, but there are no indicators that this was anything further than a juvenile who displayed poor judgment,” said Chief Browne. “I would like to thank all Burlington Public Schools staff and the community members who brought this incident to our attention and helped us investigate it promptly and effectively.”
Burlington Police will nonetheless maintain an increased presence at the school out of an abundance of caution.
The incident will be addressed by the School Department in accordance with School Department policies and procedures.