Shooting threat that closed Colchester schools deemed not credible

COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) - A school shooting threat put Colchester police on alert and led to the cancellation of classes across the district.

Police say that threat was not credible, but they still took a cautious approach for the safety of students.

Police say a middle school student threatened to shoot up the middle school in a chatroom of an online video game.

Colchester police say students told their parents and those parents contacted the district.

School officials say they felt closing all schools in the district was necessary for the safety and mental health of students.

The district’s superintendent says they are working with the student who is accused of making the threat and the student’s family to figure out any disciplinary action.

Police did not share the motive behind the threat, but say there is no longer a risk to schools.

“We have been able to deem that this was not a credible threat. There is no intent of the person to act on the statement that they made. The individual does not have access to any weapons we are aware of,” Colchester Police Chief Douglas Allen said.

School will be back on Friday for the entire district.

District officials say the main priority for faculty and staff is making sure students feel welcome to come back to school, and they say that there will be services available for students if they need them.

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All Colchester schools closed Thursday due to threat

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