Salem Police Increase School Patrols Amid TikTok Violence Threat

Salem MA

16 December, 2021

5:33 PM

Description

SALEM, MA — Salem police will have an increased presence at district schools on Friday amid a TikTok challenge encouraging threats of gun violence at schools nationwide. Police said in response to a Patch story about the TikTok alert in Massachusetts that there is "no specific threat to Salem" but that they are aware of the challenge and are prepared to respond. "Salem police will be at our schools tomorrow in greater numbers than usual," police said. "If you see us, please stop and say hello!" The challenge calls for violence at schools across the U.S. on Dec. 17 with several Massachusetts school districts saying that they are taking extra precautions. Districts across the country are guarding against the reported challenge, which Wilmington Superintendent Glenn Brand refers to "every school in the USA, even elementary." Superintendents in Canton, Malden, Norwood, Hopkinton and several other Massachusetts school systems have notified parents about the threats. At least two Massachusetts schools districts have already responded to social media threats this week. In Burlington, someone posted a threat against Burlington High School to an anonymous Instagram account. In the message, which school administrators were made aware of on Tuesday, someone posted "a desire to cause harm at the school prior to winter break," officials said. And in Wrentham, a Snapchat post said the King Philip Middle School will be shot up on Friday. Wrentham police investigated Tuesday's incident and say it was a case of bad judgment on the student's part and not a real threat. (Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)