MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — An online threat disrupted classes at North Middle School in Martinsburg Tuesday, but law enforcement determined there was “no active threat.”
Berkeley County Schools informed the public of police presence earlier in the day after an online threat directed at a specific student had been reported.
The school system advised that parents had been notified and a police would be investigating and would be ‘present’ at the school. At the time of the original posting, students at North and nearby Opequon Elementary School and Eagle School Intermediate were placed on Code Orange and as a result, remained inside the building. Around 1:30 the schools returned to Code Green, according to a BCS announcement, which said in part, “We want to let you know that police visited classrooms at North Middle, spoke to students & staff seeking assistance to identify a suspect. Following these classroom visits, students returned to code green at approximately 1:27pm.”
Twenty minutes later, though, the school system said on the advice of law enforcement, North Middle would remain on Code Orange through the school day.
Martinsburg Police Chief Erin Gibbons said law enforcement was dispatched and a “thorough investigation was launched” when they got the initial report of a social media threat targeting a NMS student.
Among those responding with MPD were task force members and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office as well as federal partners. Gibbons said a thorough search of the premises was conducted.
Police determined there was no active threat at the middle school.