Death threat scrawled on desk at SHS
Published on May 9th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham High School officials implemented heightened security controls at the facility this Wednesday after several pupils discovered a threat scrawled on a classroom desk.
A press release submitted to The Stoneham Independent earlier this week explains that the scribbled message, spotted by various high schoolers the Tuesday after April vacation, read, "People will die on 5/9".
Several teachers, who were approached by concerned students who noticed the threat, immediately informed school administrators of the message, which was apparently no bigger than a business card.
According to SHS Principal Tom Ryan, students were prohibited from carrying backpacks, gym bags, and similar items into the building this Wednesday as part of the added security measures.
In addition, entrance into the high school was limited to the front door, and two Stoneham Police officers were patrolling the building throughout the day.
High school officials conducted a thorough sweep of the high school late Tuesday afternoon, checking lockers and similar areas in preparation for the stepped-up security.
"If somebody forgets and brings a backpack, we'll have to check it in and they can get it at the end of the day," explained Ryan, who added that parents were appraised of the situation in a Connect-Ed phone message.
"It's going to be a normal school day. We'll have increased security presence, but it shouldn't effect the students," the Principal added. "Hopefully, we'll have a regular school day with some heightened security, and people will go about their business in normal fashion."
Although the district's administrators and staff were treating the situation seriously, two regional law enforcement authorities from the School Threat Assessment Response System (STARS) program reportedly characterized the message as a level 1 threat.
"We were apprised of the situation by the school department and we contacted NEMLEC which in turn sent out STARS officials to the school," said Stoneham Police Lt. Jim McIntyre. "The STARS officials were the same people that assisted us during the Central School tragedy several years ago and they do an excellent job of consulting and getting to a consensus on the best course of action.
"We also had a police presence in the form of School Safety Resource Officer Kennedy, who was in the school all day on Wednesday," added McIntyre.
The assessment, which is based upon a scale of 1 to 5, did call upon school officials to be a little more on guard though, as the message had included a specific date.
According to Schools' Supt. Dr. Joseph Connelly, Stoneham Police investigators have launched an investigation to find the person responsible for writing the threat.
"We certainly hope that we can determine who wrote that message on the desk. And if we do, we will certainly prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. In this day and age, it's totally unacceptable and inappropriate," Connelly said in a phone interview Tuesday night.
According to Ryan, despite his best attempts to identify the person who wrote the message, linking it to a particular student has proved difficult, especially since staff members have no idea when the threat was actually scribbled on the desk.
However, the principal did say that a number of interviews with various students have been conducted to date and that the investigation into the incident will continue in the days ahead.
"We have not been successful, although we've interviewed a lot of people who were in the room," Ryan said. "You really can't say exactly when it was written, so we didn't have great parameters to work with."
The Stoneham incident follows a number of similar events in surrounding communities in recent days. This Monday night in Burlington, school and police officials responded to threatening graffiti that was found sprayed on a high school wall.
Neighboring Melrose also reportedly had its own scare this week, after a bomb threat was apparently received. And last week, Woburn school officials called upon staff members to be vigilant after a crossing guard near a bus stop found a threatening note.
Stoneham Independent Editor Joe Haggerty contributed t this report.
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