Threat directed at teacher; no charges expected

McCOOK, Neb. -- A threat on Facebook was made to a specific teacher at McCook High School Tuesday night, according to McCook Police Chief Ike Brown.

Unidentified staff and students were also mentioned in the post, Brown said. The police department was alerted of the threat by concerned citizens Tuesday night.

Police interviewed the minor and his parents that night, he said and the school was notified soon after. Parents of high school students were notified by an automated call Wednesday morning that a threat was received and resolved and that students were safe to attend school.

Brown said in coordinating with McCook Public Schools, it was decided to release that information from only one source - the school - instead of from both the school and the police department, to avoid confusion.

Brown said he doubted if criminal charges would be filed by the county attorney, due to the indirect wording and nature of the posting.

Still, every threat or potential threat is taken seriously, he added. He commended the coordinated effort that took place between the schools and the police department and also the public for alerting officials immediately.

"Any member of the public perceives a potential danger or threat, is encouraged to call us right away," he said. "Sometimes the public feels they can wait until the next day because it's late, but we're here 24 hours a day, seven days a week and that call can make a huge difference and make us more effective."

Because the public was pro-active, the situation was resolved quickly, he said.

"Kids feel a sense of anonymity when they post things online and sometimes say things they would never say in public," he said. "There is no anonymity on social media and there's no taking it back once it's out there."