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Social media threats against Alexandria schools are a hoax, APD says

The online threats against Alexandria City Public Schools follow a series of similar threats within Virginia and also nationwide.
Credit: WUSA9

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Alexandria Police Department (APD) says it has investigated several threats against schools in the region and has deemed them to be not credible.

APD says the hoax threats have been made on social media and mention a fire alarm being pulled, followed by a planned school shooting, although no specific school is mentioned. The threats have reportedly been shared several times on social media, but police do not believe there is any real danger to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS).

The online threats against ACPS follow a series of similar threats within Virginia and also nationwide. That includes social media threats that induced school closures in Frederick County earlier this month.

RELATED: Frederick County schools in Virginia closed Wednesday after ongoing threats

APD says it investigated the threats in collaboration with the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center (NVRIC), a Fusion Center of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Police are asking the public not to share suspected threats on social media, but contact APD directly if there is any suspicious activity to report.

RELATED: Police charge Virginia teen with making online threats against a school

RELATED: 12-year-old arrested for social media threats against a middle school in Virginia

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