TikTok debt threat December 17th: School shootout, bomb threats from attacks are circulating on social media

LOS ANGELES (KABC) – Threats of shootings and bombings on school campuses are circulating on social media across the United States. The Los Angeles FBI Office and the Los Angeles Unified School District have notified ABC7 that they are aware of the threats.

Posts are circulating on TikTok raising awareness of the threats and encouraging students to stay home on Friday, December 17th.

“The FBI takes all potential threats seriously,” said an FBI spokesman. “We work regularly with our law enforcement partners to determine the credibility of threats. As always, we want to remind the public that they must report any suspicious things immediately to law enforcement. we are currently not aware of any specific threats or known credible threats to schools in the Los Angeles area. “

A LAUSD spokesman told ABC7 that district officials were aware of the threats and released a statement that said in part, “While there is no reason to believe that our schools are in danger, please stop all such threats very seriously and take all measures necessary to ensure the continued safety of our school communities. “

Important message from @laschools regarding the safety of our schools. We look forward to seeing everyone at school tomorrow!
An important message from the Unified District of Los Angeles to protect our schools. Hope to see you all at school tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/v2dt0X2v66

– Los Angeles Unified (@LASchools) December 17, 2021

“Our school administrators work with school staff, the Los Angeles School Police, and local and state law enforcement – where warranted – to ensure that all threats are fully investigated and appropriately managed,” the LAUSD statement said.

A Los Angeles Police Department detective said the agency was unaware of any specific local threats as of Thursday.

More threat responses in Southern California
In a statement, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said its detectives received information on December 17 about “a national trend of unsubstantiated threats posted on social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat regarding mass violence circulate in schools “.

The sheriff’s department stressed that the threats were “general in nature” with no specific location, adding that authorities had not received any threats against schools in Ventura County. For many schools, Friday is the last day before the start of the winter break, the agency said.

Seal Beach Police said they would increase patrols and security around McGaugh Elementary School in light of the threats the agency described as “unfounded and unspecific”.

The San Marino Police Department noted that “social media is often used to disseminate information that is not credible” and said they “take any threat report seriously until it can be determined that it is unfounded, and not public safety regards”.

“As the threat came from an anonymous source via social media, no additional information and sources of information could be identified,” said the San Marino police. “The threats are unfounded and a school in the greater metropolitan area of ​​Los Angeles received similar information and this threat was found to be untrustworthy.”

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Santa Monica Police said there was no specific threat to any school in the city and that “SMPD personnel will make regular checks and remain highly visible on the school premises.”

“The safety and well-being of our students are of the utmost importance and we continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our school community,” said Santa Monica Police in a tweet.

Burbank Unified School District Superintendent Matt Hill said in a statement to staff and students’ families that the threat “appears to be the latest hoax, and numerous law enforcement agencies across the country have investigated and publicly stated that it is not a credible threat are”.

Hill added that Burbank police have confirmed there is no threat and the schools will remain safe.

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