Unfounded 'threat' at Hampton school concerns parents

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - Hampton Police took precautions Wednesday morning after several concerned parents reported someone making threats to Kecoughtan High School.

Ann Stephens-Cherry with Hampton City Schools told WAVY.com a post on Facebook indicated there was a ‘hit list’ written by a student including the names of other students and teachers. That supposed ‘hit list’ was investigated and unfounded.

“However, so as to assure parents, students and staff, the Hampton Police had 10 officers stationed at the school this morning,” Stephens-Cherry said in an email. “Four officers will remain at the school throughout the day. Students were also screened with wand metal detectors to check for firearms. For many parents, the extra measures were not enough to ease their fears.

Despite the assurance of safety, many parents, like Christine Hawkins picked up their children from school. Hampton City School officials say a third of the school population at Kecoughtan High School were absent or pulled out of school early on Wednesday.

Hawkins told WAVY.com her daughter called her from the bus frightened over the hit list rumor.

"She was in full panic," Hawkins said. "She said, 'I don't want to get off the bus, but we have to,'" Hawkins said. "I told her, 'By the time you get off the bus I should be there.'"

Kecoughtan High School officials sent out an electronic alert Wednesday morning stating the threat was unfounded.

Hampton City Schools officials said they were alerted to the rumored hit list Tuesday night.

Hawkins told WAVY.com she would have preferred to have found out about the threat eariler.

"I think that this was a slip through, but it could have been a fatal slip through," Hawkins said.

Hampton City Schools officials said they know who started the posts about the threat, but due to privacy policies can not release the person's name or if disciplinary actions were taken. Officials said students and staff were never in jeopardy.