Two back-to-back gun threats were phoned in to the Locust Valley School District Wednesday, Sept. 10, causing the board of education meeting that night to be cancelled due to the threats.
“We have received two back-to-back voicemails threatening gun violence to all of us here,” said Board President George Vasiliou on the meeting’s livestream, which has since been removed from the board’s YouTube page.
He said the individual “complained” about the board members and administrators on the dais, and “praised the terrible actions that happened in Utah.” This was in reference to the murder of Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political commentator who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Vasiliou said the caller said he wanted to “put us on the news as well.”
The calls were reported to the police, Vasiliou said, as well as to school security.
The board of education meeting was cancelled for the public’s safety and rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 15.
The school district remained open the following day on Thursday, Sept. 11, but cancelled its outdoor activities following a police investigation.
“After a collaborative investigation by the Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department and Homeland Security, including a visit to the residence in Suffolk County of the individual who placed the calls, we were advised by our law enforcement partners that there was no immediate threat to the Locust Valley school community,” Vasiliou said in a joint statement with Superintendent Kristen Turnow.
The district said students returned to the classroom on a normal schedule the day after the threats, with increased security measures such as additional personnel and marked police vehicles. The district said outdoor activities will resume on Friday, Sept. 12.
The district will present its safety plan and protocols at the next board of education meeting.
“Please know that we will always take the highest levels of precaution to ensure our campuses are safe,” Vasiliou and Turnow said.
