A threat made via an online video game sparked enough concern to shut down Grand Meadow Public Schools on Monday, as families were notified of the cancellation the prior evening.
According to the district's superintendent, Paul Besel, in an email shared with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, a threat was directly made to a student. Besel's preemptive strike to close the school was to allow local law enforcement to meticulously follow up on new information emerging since the original threat, reported by KSTP-TV.
In a reassuring turn of events, the Mower County Sheriff's Office has since confirmed there is "no immediate threat" to the students or the school. Grand Meadow's superintendent relayed this latest update in a letter to parents, emphasizing that the safety of their children is a priority that is being taken very seriously.
"I have been recently notified by Sheriff Sandvik from the Mower County Sheriff’s office that the threat to the Grand Meadow students through the investigation process has determined that there is no imminent threat to Grand Meadow students or the school," Besel stated in a message, as per Austin Daily Herald.
