Phenix City superintendent says students, staff safe after police respond to threat
Phenix City School superintendent Randy Wilkes told Central High School and Central Freshman Academy parents and guardians all students and staff are safe Wednesday after police responded to the campus to investigate a threat.
“There were allegations on social media indicating an incident might occur at an unspecified school today,” Wilkes said in his letter. “A thorough investigation was completed by the administration and deemed unfounded.”
Phenix City Police Chief Ray Smith told the Ledger-Enquirer the origin of the threat hasn’t been determined, but it was vague and didn’t specify a school.
“We’ve not had any indication that it was a legitimate threat,” he said.
Nonetheless, concerned Central students spread it among their friends, Smith said.
“It went viral,” he said, “and a lot of parents have checked their kids out of school.”
Central High and the Freshman Academy have school resource officers on campus every school day, but “two or three” extra officers were sent Wednesday to provide reassurance, Smith said.
“We’re still monitoring the situation,” he said, “but kids are still and it’s not on lockdown.”
In a news release Wednesday afternoon, the Phenix City Police Department said the investigation involves “several social media posts that were concerned with rumors of a possible ‘dress code protest’ and a ‘shooting’ that was to take place at CFA and CHS. The alleged post was unsubstantiated, and no credible evidence led Phenix City School Board members or law enforcement to believe the rumor had merit.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Phenix City Police Department through its website or by calling 334-298-0611
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer that his office also received a report about the threat after chatter on social media suspected Smiths Station High School was a target as well.
“Our threat report was investigated and determined to be the threat at CHS,” he said in an email. “Some people jumped to an inaccurate conclusion. We are continuing to monitor the situation however.”
Some deputy sheriffs serve as school resource officers in the schools, Jones said.
“They report to the schools each day and work directly with the staff, teachers and students,” he said. “After reviewing facts available, they concluded the threat did not involve any Lee County schools. SSHS was never placed on lockdown or on special alert status.”
This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 1:23 PM.
