Police: May 5 school threat believed to be hoax; several states report same hoax
May 5, 2023, 6:29 AM | Updated: 7:19 am
UTAH COUNTY, Utah — Provo and Orem police say they have received numerous reports of “a threatened violent event at an unspecified school” and they believe it is a hoax. Several agencies in other states have reported receiving the same vague hoax threat, which has spread across social media.
“Officers and detectives are actively investigating these reports,” Provo police said. “Our dispatch center is taking a high number of calls regarding this, so we ask that persons only call in with specific, credible information that may help with our investigation.”
“Know that we want to make sure everyone is safe going to school tomorrow and extra officers will be on hand to help provide safety for our children,” Orem police added.
Several Florida counties reported receiving the same threat, which does not name a specific school or location but contains Friday’s date. The same threat was mentioned by North Carolina authorities as well.
In late March, over a dozen Utah schools received a fake active shooter call that came from outside the United States. The Utah Department of Public Safety said schools in other states, including Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, also dealt with hoax calls that same day.
