Police presence at Prescott schools out of caution due to social media post

Extra law enforcement officers are at schools in Prescott, Wisconsin, on Wednesday after a vague post was made on social media.

Prescott Superintendent Rick Spicuzza said school administration was made aware Wednesday morning about a social media post regarding a possible school attack. However, Prescott police and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department quickly saw it was a vague, national post that didn’t note any specific threat to Prescott or any schools in the district.

The superintendent’s letter to families said students who reposted the national posts were interviewed and also confirmed that the posts originated in Oklahoma and didn’t concern Wisconsin schools.

Authorities say other states are seeing similar vague threats with May 10 dates.

While law enforcement and school administration say they don’t have any reason to believe the threats are specific to any Prescott schools, the move to add a larger law enforcement presence at schools has been made as a precaution. The school day is otherwise proceeding as normal.

Spicuzza added that the district will continue to follow all safety protocols and will update families if any new information becomes available.

The superintendent also asked parents to remind their children to report anything suspicious or threatening that they hear or see to a trusted adult, and encouraged parents to closely monitor what their children are accessing and sharing online.

Any parents with questions can contact Spicuzza’s office at 715-262-4224.