Fear grips US citizens as school shooting, bombing threats circulate on social media

Chicago: A wave of shootings and bombings threat at every school in the United States is circulating on social media, and Chicago area police and school officials are responding.

According to international media, there are posts circulating on social media platforms including TikTok raising awareness about the threats and encouraging students to stay home on Dec. 17. 

The social media threat indicates shootings and bombings will take place at schools across the US on Friday, raising concern among school staff and authorities.

School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.

According to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, and school districts say they take each warning seriously as there have been nine active and 235 non-active shooter incidents at schools so far this year.

On the other hand, District 207 in the northwest suburbs issued a statement that said Des Plaines police and Park Ridge police are aware of the messages, and both departments have indicated the threats are not credible.

Glenview Police Department said it is aware of the threat and encouraged "everyone to remain vigilant," but added that there is no credible information that it is related to any school in Illinois.