Online Threat Puts Peekskill Schools On Lockout Tuesday

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. -- An threat made online led the Peekskill City School District to place all four of its schools on lockout Tuesday, officials said.

The Peeksill schools were put on lockdown Tuesday after an online threat was discovered.
Photo Credit: *Art Cusano*

by Art Cusano

03/20/2013 4:30 p.m.

The hourlong lockout began at about noon Tuesday as administrators investigated a threat made by a student on Facebook, officials said. No danger was discovered and the lockdown was soon lifted, officials said.

The district has not released the name or age of the student who made the claim, said district spokeswoman Laura Belfiore. The investigation was ongoing.

The Peekskill Police Department recommended the lockdown, Belfiore said. The district did not send out an immediate notification to parents because the event was brief, she said.

"It lasted less than an hour," Belfiore said.

A phone message was sent out to parents Wednesday afternoon by the district.

The Police Department was working with the district attorney's office to investigate the incident, said spokesman Sgt. Ray Henderlong. The district did the right thing in locking down the schools, he said.

"In this day and age, you can never be too careful," Henderlong said.

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