HOUSTON – Willowridge High School was placed in secure mode Wednesday after a clown-related social media threat.
The Fort Bend Independent School District campus was placed in a lockout at 10:50 a.m.
The district said all students were inside the building in a secure learning environment. Extra security patrolled the campus during the day on Wednesday.
Parent Patience Bolt said she received notification of the threat Wednesday morning.
"It’s very concerning, because at some point you feel like somebody going to make good on these threats,” Bolt said.
Investigators are still trying to figure out who posted the threat online.
In the meantime, UH cyber security expert Rakesh Verma is warning people not to make the same mistake.
“The chances are high that they’ll be caught,” Verma said.
He said it’s nearly impossible to cover up all signs of your online activity, especially when you’re young and not so computer savvy.
“You start with their accounts, whether they have been hacked into or not and if they have not been hacked into, who owns the account? Did they use the account or not?” Verma said.
Ft. Bend ISD released a statement Wednesday afternoon regarding the issue:
"This morning, Willowridge High School administrators learned of a social media post that referenced a potential threat to our campus. As a precaution, the school was placed in a lockout, meaning the perimeter was secured, and we verified that all exterior doors were locked. During this time, instruction continued as normal on a modified schedule. All students are safe, and extra police are at our campus as a precaution.
Fort Bend ISD Police continue to investigate the source of the post. We want to remind our parents about the importance of speaking to their child about responsible use of social media. As Chief Rider mentioned earlier this week, we want students to bring anything to our attention that makes them uncomfortable or feel threatened. We also want to remind students that what some may consider a joke can have serious consequences."
"As always, we ask that anyone with direct information about a potential threat to our campus contact Fort Bend ISD Police. Students can remain anonymous by contacting FBISD Crime Stoppers at (281) 491-8477. Parents and students may also send an anonymous tip through text messaging by typing GETPAID, followed by their message, and sending to 274637 (CRIMES)."
In the wake of numerous clown threats directed toward various schools in the Houston area, Fort Bend police sent out a statement to parents on Monday:
"I am emailing you to make you aware of social media posts that have been circulating nationwide and in the Houston-area over the last few days as part of a social media hoax, fueling concerns about the safety of our students. The safety of our students is the District’s number one priority, and I want to assure you that the Fort Bend ISD Police Department is in constant contact with our school administrators to ensure that our schools are safe learning environments.
Although the schools referenced in the Houston area and nationwide are at the middle and high school levels, I am sharing this message with all of our parents so they are aware, in case they come across these posts on social media.
• The posts that have been circulating come from accounts that depict photos of clowns, though the names of the accounts vary. Fort Bend ISD Police and other law enforcement agencies are working with the social media platforms to have the accounts deactivated and the account information preserved to assist in investigations.
• The Fort Bend ISD Police Department is investigating each account that is brought to our attention, and there has been no evidence that any of these threats are credible. Our investigators are following up on leads to determine the source of the social media posts, as making a threat toward a school is a serious criminal offense.
• School is continuing as normal at our campuses, and as always, officers are present at every middle and high school. We are reminding visitors that they must check-in at the front office at all times.
• We encourage all students to report anything or anyone that makes them feel uncomfortable, including social media posts that could be considered as a threat against student safety.
• We also ask that parents speak to their children about being mindful about what they post and share on social media.
We ask that anyone with direct information about a potential threat or post to contact our investigators at (281) 634-5500. As a reminder, students can remain anonymous by contacting FBISD Crime Stoppers at (281) 491-8477. Parents and students may also send an anonymous tip through text messaging by typing GETPAID, followed by their message, and sending to 274637 (CRIMES)."
Stay with KPRC 2 News for more details as they become available.