School is officially cancelled for tomorrow, as a result of the #bombthreat and #hitlist. Stay safe Niwot!
— Niwot News (@NiwotNews) January 10, 2013
As unconfirmed rumors of a student “hit list” accompany news of a shooting today at Taft Union High School in California, a school in Colorado is taking no chances tomorrow after officials there found what they are calling a hit list. The Longmont Times-Call is reporting that a list of 20 names was found at Niwot High School today, three days after a janitor found a message written in marker in a bathroom stall that the school is “going to blow on the 11th.”
The school today sent out an email to families which reads in part:
Based on the recommendation of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department, the District will close Niwot High School at the end of the day on Thursday. The school will remain closed Friday and over the weekend.
The recommendation to close the school was made, in part, due to a second written threat discovered by students earlier on Thursday. Canceling school provides law enforcement professionals additional time to evaluate the threats.
Be advised that the second threat identifies the names of approximately 30 Niwot High students. Law enforcement professionals have begun contacting the parents of these students for follow-up discussions and to ensure their student’s safety.
Some students had planned to skip school Friday anyway in response to the message found in the bathroom.
Bomb threat– doesn't make Niwot ghetto, definitely means I'm not going to school Friday though #yeahsuretooscaredforschool
— Chris Joyce (@C_Joy5) January 9, 2013
https://twitter.com/skfische/status/289180037243092992
As chilling tweets from last month reveal that students at Taft High School feared that a shooting might happen, this paragraph from Niwot’s statement to parents seems especially relevant:
According to criminal experts, threats of this nature are usually made by an individual or a small group that acted out previously but friends and acquaintances chose not to report the incident. For this reason, I urge you to sit down with your student tonight and discuss the seriousness of this incident and the importance of reporting any information that might help us resolve it.
We all know where school prayer stands in America, but that hasn’t stopped prayers from pouring in for the school from outside its walls.
https://twitter.com/BabyArtz27/status/289505828589944832
https://twitter.com/AndreApodaca5/status/289512522766241792
Stay safe Niwot babies! #PrayingForYou ?
— Katie Balsley (@KBalsleyy) January 10, 2013
https://twitter.com/cindyyie/status/289520639965007872
Prayers go out to Niwot and Creek, you have LHS's support #rivals #onecommunity
— Conner McIntosh (@huggyybearr68) January 10, 2013
Praying that all my friends at Niwot stay safe and that everyone can come out of this safe! #supportNiwot #PrayforNiwot
— J (@J_May20) January 11, 2013
Praying for all the Niwot students tonight. The Lord is watching over all of you. I am praying for all of your safety #PrayForNiwot
— JC (@Jade_Cordva) January 11, 2013
Prayers to Niwot high school. We love you cougs. #niwot
— Creek Compliments (@CreekCompliment) January 11, 2013
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