The Cheyenne Police Department responded to reports of threats made to South High School students on November 6.
While the initial threats of violence were made from one student to another specific student, the messages were quickly shared amongst students, resulting in a panic that a mass shooting would take place at the school. Officers were able to track back the messages to the original sender and are still investigating this student who is cooperating with police.
The Cheyenne Police Department made extra officers available at South High School and the student involved in making the initial threats was not allowed at the school. The CPD is aware that the regular routine of the school was affected and numerous students did not attend class based on the threats that were spread.
This case highlights the importance of quickly and accurately reporting threats to law enforcement rather than allowing those threats to grow into rumors and causing further panic.
The CPD urges anyone receiving a threat of violence to immediately share that with law enforcement so that it can be investigated and followed up on rather than re-sharing that message amongst peers where it’s rapidly redistributed and altered, delaying the investigative process.
Chief Kozak would like to remind the citizens of Cheyenne that, “If the department is aware of a specific threat, we will do everything in our power to address that threat and keep the public informed in order to ensure their safety. If we have reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public, that information will be shared as soon as it’s practical for us to do so.”
