WINTHROP – Officials are not at liberty to say whether or not a 16-year-old Winthrop High School has been suspended after last week’s threats made against Winthrop High School and Tewksbury High School via social media.
Winthrop High School was placed in a “hold in place†sometime after 10 a.m. last Thursday, March 5 after Winthrop police received a call from Tewksbury police regarding threats made on Facebook. The Tewksbury police had been contacted by the Manchester, N.H. police after they had received a tip.
Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty said the call came in at 9:49 a.m. from Tewksbury police stating that a suicide pact and threats had been made toward Tewksbury and Winthrop high schools.
The posts appeared on the Facebook pages of a 16-year-old Winthrop High School girl and a 15-year-old Tewksbury high school girl. One posted that she wanted to get “two guns†and make a suicide pact. The Winthrop girl posted “can we shoot up school firstâ€. The Tewksbury student then posted, “yo, let do it.â€
Police in Tewksbury put the high school in lock down and then found the student in the school. She was arrested a charged with making threats and conspiracy. The Winthrop student was picked up outside the school and taken into custody. Over the weekend it was evident the Facebook pages had been blocked.
“The students were always safe at all times,†said Winthrop Superintendent of Schools John Macero. He explained that a “hold in place†directive means for students and staff to continue their work but do not leave the classroom. A “lock down†is when students stay in their classroom, lock the door and they cannot leave until a school administrator and a police office escort them out.
“Friday morning I congratulated the students over the intercom for following the requirements,†Macero said.
Initial reports stated that students from Manchester N.H. and Woburn had been involved. Police said it was not true.