Police look into social media threat during Lehighton school board meeting

A threat made on a social media platform during Lehighton Area School Board’s meeting on Monday resulted in extra police patrols in the borough.

Contacted Wednesday afternoon, police Chief Brian Biechy said the police department was notified through the school district that there was a threat on the Times News’ Facebook page while it was streaming the meeting.

“It looks like it was generated from out of the country,” Biechy said. “But we are looking into it.”

The comment states, “Ayy, who’s shooting the school up tomorrow?

In response to the threat, Biechy said that police had extra patrols out Tuesday morning.

“We take threats like this seriously, and we cooperate very well with the school district on matters like this,” he said. “These comments can’t, and shouldn’t, be tolerated.”

Contacted Wednesday afternoon, Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said that upon learning of the situation, the district immediately contacted police and the Carbon County Communications Center.

“Administration was aware of the thing that was posted and we were looking for any type of direct threat,” Cleaver said. “We had the information and did some research by ourself on the person.”

Cleaver said the information they have is that the person who posted lives in Pakistan.

He stressed, “As administrators, we place the highest importance on student safety.”

Cleaver expressed his gratitude to the police department for its continued cooperation.

“I appreciate the great working relationship that we have with our local police department here,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be able to work with them so quickly, and a lot of thanks need to go to them for working as close as they do with us.”