FARMINGTON – Threats of a school violence incident at Mount Blue Middle School earlier this week were investigated by school officials and the school resource officer, Matthew Brann, and found to be not credible.
According to a letter from RSU 9 Superintendent Christian Elkington that was circulated on Dec. 16, the district was ‘made aware of some comments’ that a student made to another student at Mount Blue Middle School about a ‘threat of violence potentially happening at the school.’
This prompted an investigation from school administration and the SRO; elements of the investigation included a parent coming to the school, the student being questioned and their locker and book bag being searched, and their friends and classmates being interviewed.
However, because this took place at the end of the school day, the investigation extended over two days. Some students went home before the administration could reach them and information was spread through word-of-mouth and online interactions.
According to Elkington’s letter, nothing was found to be planned or being contemplated. Elkington explained that the statements were made out of frustration and there was ‘no credible threat.’
This incident occurred following a school shooting in Michigan and in the midst of a national investigation into a Tik Tok trend that claimed there would be a school shooting on Friday, Dec. 17. Either persons or an organization is alleged to be promoting violence against schools in the U.S., with the primary focus apparently on schools in Maryland, New Hampshire, and Illinois.
This investigation, according to information Elkington received from the Maine Information and Analysis Center, indicated that the threats were not credible at this time. The MIAC shares ‘situational awareness’ notices to school leaders, along with state and federal government organizations.
All of the schools in RSU 9 have trained personnel to help evaluate and investigate threats. In addition to the SRO, building administrators, counselors, and other personnel are available to help ensure student safety.
Elkington concluded his letter by stating, “I want to assure everyone that your RSU 9 Administration takes threats to our students, staff, school, and district with the utmost importance. That STUDENT and STAFF SAFETY is our #1 PRIORITY! We will continue to be diligent with investigating all threats and that we will ask for when necessary additional law enforcement presence.
“Lastly, please know that our Administrators and School Resource Officer will be working from a higher level of concern over the next several days to hopefully ease concerns by helping our students and staff feel more secure in our schools.”
In a statement released on the Farmington Police Department’s Facebook page, Chief Ken Charles shared the letter from Elkington and added, “I would like to reiterate that Farmington Police Department works hand in hand with school staff and administrators to ensure safety in our schools. Further, I recognize the level of concern and fear experienced as a result of the threats and the resulting social media spread.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office also shared Elkington’s letter to their Facebook page.
On Friday, neighboring school district MSAD 54 (Skowhegan) had additional Skowhegan police officers stationed at the schools to help ensure the safety of students and staff. Chief David Bucknam posted on Facebook, “We take your kids’ safety seriously and this is why MSAD 54 Superintendent John Moody and I discussed this “Tik Tok” issue yesterday when it came out. I appreciate the smiles and waves while at the schools today.”
