Threatening email sent to Camden-Rockport schools one of several sent to other Maine, and Florida, school districts
UPDATE: CAMDEN-ROCKPORT — The threatening email received this morning by an administrator at the local school districts in Camden and Rockport, and which subsequently closed Camden Hills Regional High School as well as the K-8 schools in Camden and Rockport, was one of several apparently sent out to other schools districts in Maine, including central Maine, as well as at least one school in Florida.
Camden Police Chief Randy Gagne said late this morning, Feb. 7, that the Camden and Rockport police departments investigated the threatening email opened at 6:38 a.m. this morning by an administrator, who was checking email.
SAD 28 and the Five Town CSD Superintendent Maria Libby was immediately notified and contacted Camden Police.
After a review and discussion, administrators and police decided closing the school was the best option, said Gagne.
He sent the email to the Maine Information and Analysis Center, in Augusta. The MIAC, otherwise known as the fusion center, is to collect, analyze and appropriately share intelligence between the federal government and the State of Maine. The MIAC also provides analytical and investigative support for crimes of a complex, organized or statewide nature.
“Closing school allowed police time to research the threat and to conduct searches of the school buildings,” Gagne said. “Working with local, state and federal partners, it was discovered by mid morning that numerous other schools in Maine along with a school in Florida had received the same message.”
Firefighters, custodians and police in Camden and Rockport conducted searches of all school buildings.
“Nothing of a suspicious nature was located,” said Gagne. “At this point we are confident that this incident was a hoax. We will continue to work with our Local, State, and Federal partners in an attempt to identify where the threat originated from and the identification of the perpetrator.”
Police are investigating a threat to the schools in Camden and Rockport that have closed the buildings today, Feb. 7.
The threat was communicated via email and received by a school administrator, according to Police Chief Randy Gagne. The email, which was opened at approximately 6:38 a.m., was dated specifically for an event today.
“As a precaution school has been canceled to allow law enforcement an opportunity to work on this matter,” he said.
Parents learned of the cancellation via email and a phone alert.
Both the School Administrative District 28 (Camden-Rockport K-8 schools) and the Five Town CSD district (Camden Hills Regional High School) both announce at their websites that school is closed due to the inclement weather.
Gagne said he would provide an update to the situation later this morning.
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