BANGOR, Maine — Bangor police were at Bangor High School Monday to “further alleviate any concerns” about a reported threat last week, according to police.
In a Monday afternoon news release, Bangor police Sgt. Tim Cotton said the school and police department on Thursday “became aware of limited and fragmented information regarding a rumored threat to the high school.”
After speaking with multiple students on Thursday and Friday, both school and police officials found there wasn’t any “direct threat.”
A student made a comment that was misconstrued by others and rumors began to spread, Principal Paul Butler said last week. He said the rumors were proven false.
“The safety of our children is paramount,” the release states. “Therefore, the [Bangor School Department] and [Bangor Police Department] continue to work together to review this information and to reassure students and families.”
School officials and police have declined to say any more about the nature of the rumored threat.
“Our focus has been on keeping to a normal teaching and learning routine — something that I can say is our school culture,” Butler said Monday afternoon in an email, adding that student attendance was “normal” and about 90 percent.
Nick Danby, a student at Bangor High, said Monday afternoon that he noticed three police cruisers on school grounds throughout the day. He said there did not appear to be an unusual number of students absent from school and those in attendance did not seem worried about their safety.
“There was some discussion about it, but it’s been kind of hush-hush,” said Danby, who is the son of Bangor Daily News cartoonist George Danby.
When asked if police would be present at Bangor High School on Tuesday, Superintendent of Schools Betsy Webb said in an email Monday afternoon that police, including a resource officer, “are in our schools daily and tomorrow will be no different from other days.”
BDN Metro Editor Michael J. Dowd contributed to this report.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.