Police 'actively investigating' threat made against Bradford high school

Police are "actively investigating" a threat made against Bradford District High School (BDHS) after someone posted to the social media platform Snapchat they planned to show up at school with a gun Tuesday morning.

Investigators are taking the threat very seriously.

"We are utilizing external partners through social media posts to determine the author of the posts and where it's sourced," said South Simcoe Police Staff Sgt. Julio Fernandes.

Sarah Kekewich, the public board's communications manager, said a letter was sent to BDHS families to notify parents about the threat.

It reads in part, "As with all matters of student safety, we have taken this very seriously and are acting accordingly. We thank those who brought this to our attention and appreciate the support of our police partners."

School officials say less than half of the 1,350 students attended in-person learning Tuesday.

"It is very traumatic to our school community. It's very disheartening because it's not a reflection of Bradford. It's not a reflection of the students that attend Bradford District High School," said the school's principal David Brooks.

Police say they plan to stay on this until they find the person(s) responsible, adding potential charges could include uttering threats and mischief.

"If anybody has the post itself or has any information that might divulge the source of the post, if they could just contact us with that information, it would be greatly appreciated," added Fernandes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau with the South Simcoe Police at 905-775-3311 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

The South Simcoe Police Service will maintain its presence in the vicinity of Bradford District High School Wednesday as the investigation remains ongoing.