LA JUNTA — The East Otero School District announced Sunday night that they would be closing schools Monday due to a credible threat that was circulating on social media.
Superintendent Rick Lovato announced the closing on social media, and he said "his stomach dropped when he saw the video" that prompted the school closing.
Lovato said the district was working with the police "nonstop" to resolve the threat and keep everybody safe.
La Junta Police announced that the juvenile who made the threat is in custody.
Unfortunately, school threats have become increasingly more common in the past few years. Many schools, including Academy District 20 in Colorado Springs, have policies in place for when these threats happen.
In District 20, when a threat is reported, the security team is notified immediately. The nature of the threat determines the district's response. Sometimes all it requires is the district's own security team, but at other times, the Colorado Springs Police Department of El Paso County Sheriff's Office will get involved.
The Safe2Tell app also provides a way for students to report concerns about possible threats anonymously, including in cases where a student may be experiencing suicidal ideation or thoughts. From the period of August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, the app received over 11,000 tips, of which more than 95% were actionable.
If you need to make a report, you can call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere and at anytime, or through the Safe2Tell mobile app or on the Safe2Tell website, Safe2Tell.org.
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
