Another school threat in Lynn

LYNN – A day after a threat of a Friday school shooting was made at Classical, a similar threat was made at English, prompting police patrols at both high schools.But police said there is no indication the threats are credible.”It’s under investigation as to whether it’s the same person making the threats,” Lynn Police Lt. Rick Donnelly said Thursday. “School is still in session and will be in session on Friday.”Police were notified mid-Tuesday morning that a note on the wall of the third-floor boy’s bathroom at Classical High School threatened a school shooting on Friday.Police Chief Kevin Coppinger said there was no indication the threat was credible, but police were not taking any chances; and officers began patrolling both inside and outside the school.Police were informed about 1:40 p.m. Wednesday that a similar note – also written in pencil inside a third-floor boy’s bathroom – was found at Lynn English, Donnelly said.Police began patrolling that high school as well.”We think the schools are safe and our goal is to provide a sense of security for the kids at school,” Donnelly said.”It doesn’t look as if they’re credible threats,” said Dr. Catherine Latham, Lynn’s Superintendent of Schools. “But there will be a big police presence at both schools.”Schools are open,” she said, “but I can certainly understand anyone who chooses to keep their children home.”Several cruisers were outside English as school was dismissed Thursday. But several students interviewed thought it was simply a copycat, not a serious, threat.”Everybody was legit talking about it, saying they were not coming in, that they didn’t feel safe,” Connor Galloway, 19, said. “But they were talking about how they would use that as an excuse to miss school. I think things will be fine.”Galloway said the incident was serious, however.Students Sabrina Hamilton and Amber Tejeda both said they planned to come to school Friday and felt perfectly safe doing so. But neither could recall any previous threat at the school.Isaiah Berrios, 18, said he was considering not coming to school Friday, but probably would end up going anyway. Like Galloway, he thought the threat was just a copycat threat. But he still had some concern.”I don’t believe it’s real,” Berrios said. “But it only takes that one crazy kid to do something.”