Waterford Police are investigating a threatening picture warning students of both Durant and Mott High Schools to not come to school Monday.
The post shows a boy holding a gun with the message, "Warning - this is not a joke. Nobody go to Durant or Mott Monday if you dare."
Multiple parents reached out to police, the school district, and 7 Action News after the image went viral on Facebook late Sunday night. Parents appeared to be in a panic that their students lives were at-risk if they went to school.
Anna Metropoulos, who has two seniors attending the district, was one of several parents who showed up at the police department Sunday night.
“I don’t want my kids to be afraid of going to school,” said Metropoulos. “It’s supposed to be a safe place.”
While the threat went viral quickly, the police also got active quickly.
Lieutenant Scott Good told 7 Actions News that they were inundated with phone calls beginning around 7:00 p.m. Sunday night. Within two hours they were able to confirm that the situation was a hoax, and that the subject that appeared to be holding a rifle was actually holding a pellet gun.
“We have confirmed this is a hoax, and I want to make that clear,” said Lt. Good, “but we will still put an additional presence out there for tomorrow.”
What happens to the students involved in the hoax has not been determined. According to the Waterford Police Department, a prosecutor will review the case to determine if charges are necessary.
Meanwhile, the Waterford School District circulated a message to parents late Sunday night stating, “The police immediately went to the home of the student and it was determined the Facebook threat was a hoax.”
The statement went on to say, “We will ensure that our students and staff feel safe and we will have a police presence at both Durant and Mott High School tomorrow.”
Parents, like Metropoulos, told 7 Actions News that there is a feeling of relief following the initial terror of seeing the photo.
“I know that they are secure schools, but you never know,” said Metropoulos.
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