From Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Police chief Eric Rush said all was clear and students are safe after police were called to investigate a threat at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School on Tuesday morning. Rush said the investigation was continuing.
Hewitt-Trussville Middle School
file photo by Ron Burkett
According to Rush, a student at the school sent a group text making a threat.
“The student said he was being bullied and was going to shoot the school up,” Rush said. “One of the students told their parents who notified school officials who contacted the School Resource Officer.”
Rush said school officials and police have spoken with the student’s parents. The student’s backpack and locker were searched and officers have gone to the student’s home to verify that there is no access to weapons.
“Even though 99.99% of these threats are just a student venting, we can’t assume that and we don’t. We have a procedure that we follow when something like this arises,” Rush said. “These policies and procedures have been in place for quite a while and the recent school shooting in Michigan just reinforces the importance of following the procedures every single time an incident like this occurs.”
Trussville police will continue to investigate the matter, but Rush said that he believes students at HTMS are safe.
Parents told the Tribune that HTMS principal Jennifer Abney sent an email to parents after the incident notifying them of the situation.
