Tablet seized after school shooting threat; probe ongoing

Officers from the Clinton Police Department monitor traffic Tuesday afternoon, following a lockdown at Sampson Middle School.

Salah O'Neil, a detective with the Clinton Police Department, assists school officials at Sampson Middle School.

Police and school leaders direct bus traffic Tuesday afternoon at Sampson Middle School. The school was on lockdown Tuesday afternoon.

School Resource Officer Kenneth Oates directs bus traffic.

Clinton High School and Sampson Middle School were placed on lockdown Tuesday following an anonymous email that "a student had a gun in his bookbag with plans to use" it. No weapon was found and four "persons of interest" have been identified in connection with the threat.

At 11:46 a.m. Tuesday, the Clinton Police Department was notified by Sampson County 911 of a threat to an unknown school in Sampson County, Clinton City Schools officials said. The message, according to school and police officials, came from an online crisis center stating "a student had a gun in a bookbag with plans to use the weapon."

The Clinton Police Department, Sampson County 911 and the Sampson County Information Technology (IT) department began to trace the IP address used. According to school officials, the IP address was identified as belonging to Clinton City Schools. As a precautionary measure, officers were dispatched to all Clinton City Schools sites. The Clinton City Schools IT department was subsequently able to identify the IP address as possibly assigned to a device belonging to Sampson Middle School.

As a safety measure, Sampson Middle School was placed on lockdown at that time due to a "potential threat," meaning that students and staff were placed in a secure location and no one was allowed in or out of the school. Clinton High School was placed on high alert due its proximity to the middle school. The two schools are located next to each other on West Elizabeth Street.

A notice from Clinton City Schools public relations noted that law enforcement was on the scene and that parents would be notified when the threat is eliminated. "Please DO NOT attempt to go on campus and get your child from the school. You will be notified when students may be released," the notice read.

Police and school staff began to search the middle school. City of Clinton manager Shawn Purvis said that meant officers canvassing classroom after classroom.

"The Clinton City Schools IT department, upon further investigation, discovered the IP address was linked to a Chromebook located at Clinton High School. The middle school remained on lockdown as the investigation shifted to Clinton High School," a joint statement from Clinton City Schools and the Clinton Police Department read. "Subsequently, Clinton High School was placed on lockdown."

With assistance from IT personnel, Clinton Police Department authorities and Clinton City Schools officials were able to narrow the origin of the threat to the high school, where police investigators and school personnel were able to locate the Chromebook.

Clinton Police officials have identified four persons of interest in connection with the device used. Their names were not disclosed. The investigation uncovered no weapons on either school site, school officials said.

"We have identified some individuals who had access to the tablet and they're speaking to them now," Purvis, who was in direct contact with Police Chief Jay Tilley, said earlier Tuesday after the lockdowns were lifted at both schools. The police chief was on the scene with "teams of officers."

Purvis said further information about the suspect or suspects would likely come from the school system, which released details on the events at around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

"The security procedures and investigation allowed law enforcement and staff to quickly determine there was no immediate threat to students or staff," the joint press release from police and school officials stated. "The Clinton Police Department will continue their investigation with the full cooperation of Clinton City Schools."

Reached late Tuesday, Tilley confirmed the investigation was ongoing. Visit www.clintonnc.com for updates.

Reach Managing Editor Chris Berendt at 910-249-4616. Follow the paper on twitter @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.

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Source: Tablet seized after school shooting threat; probe ongoing