Several South Mississippi school districts remained operational on Monday while working alongside local police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to address a potential threat to harm students or staff circulating across social media platforms along the Coast.
Authorities confirmed Monday afternoon that the threat does not appear to be credible, though federal and state investigations remain active.
The Harrison County School District and the Gulfport School District both acknowledged the online posts early in the day, confirming close coordination with local law enforcement while keeping their respective campuses open to students and staff. Meanwhile, a principal in St. Martin in the Jackson County School District responded to the situation, prompting the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department to increase its police presence across schools on Monday.
The lead agencies spearheading the investigation are the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter explained that coastal law enforcement is cooperating directly with federal investigators to identify the person who made the threat.
“Based on the credible information we received from our federal and state partners, the threat is not imminent at this time,” Ledbetter said Monday afternoon. “We will maintain a presence at the schools until we receive further information from the investigating agencies.”
Student Reporting and District Protocols
Local officials credited student alertness with helping authorities assess the situation rapidly. Sheriff Ledbetter specifically thanked students who spotted the threat posted in a group Snapchat and immediately notified school authorities.
At St. Martin High School, Shea Scarborough emphasized that student and staff protection remains paramount. “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” Scarborough said in a statement.
District administrators echoed those sentiments while outlining active safety measures. The Harrison County School District stressed that the district takes all perceived threats seriously, regardless of their source or perceived credibility, while the Gulfport School District confirmed that campus principals, school resource officers, and local police were notified immediately to address the concern under established security protocols.
“Standard protocols are in place, with assistance from federal partners, to ensure all necessary measures are taken to maintain a secure learning environment across all campuses,” the Gulfport district noted.
Ongoing Investigation and Safety Guidance
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement clarifying its supporting role while the primary investigative entities handle the technical tracking of the online posts.
“We have received multiple calls in reference to threats circulating online involving many coastal schools,” the department stated. “We wanted to confirm that while we are aware of these threats, we are not the primary investigating agency and are limited on information available. However, we are assisting any way we are needed as well as being available to the school district in any way possible.”
School officials have urged parents and students to bypass sharing unverified social media rumors, asking instead that any concrete details regarding potential security risks be routed directly to campus administrators or local law enforcement.
