David Bridges
A social media message that threatened to “come bring a gun to Oxford” led to heightened police presence in and around Oxford High School north of Detroit and the district’s other schools on Monday, the same district where a mass shooting last November left four students dead.
The threat came just weeks into the school year. According to a message posted online Sunday from Superintendent Ken Weaver, the threat was posted to Snapchat and is being investigated by law enforcement. Law enforcement officials do not believe the individual responsible is an Oxford student.
But a threat was enough to boost the anxiety level or provoke trauma among students and staff who experienced tragedy less than a year ago.
“We do realize the concern that these type of social media messages cause,” Weaver wrote. “Each student and family is at a different point in their ability to handle the concern that these disturbing messages cause.”
Armed security guards were present at Oxford High, according to Weaver. Additional police officers were also present Monday in response to the threat, out of caution.
Threats persistently bedeviled Michigan schools last school year, particularly after the Oxford shooting when a string of copycat threats led to dozens of schools closing across Oakland County for days at a time. This year, it appears threats have returned: Lincoln High School in Warren was closed Monday due to a social media, threat, according to WXYZ Detroit.
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A student brought a loaded handgun to Southfield A&T High School on Sept. 7.
At Oxford, Weaver encouraged families to utilize Michigan’s statewide student safety reporting tool, OK2Say, run by the Michigan State Police. People can anonymously report social media and other threats with the tool, which then go to law enforcement.
In 2021, the tool logged 6,200 tips, a 67% increase compared with the year before, according to information from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office.
Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.
Clara Hastings
Tessa Everly
