WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — After the White River Valley Supervisory Union alerted authorities about a potential school shooting threat early this morning, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department swiftly acted to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Sheriff Michael Palmer was contacted at approximately 5:28 a.m. by WRVSU officials regarding a concerning social media post.
Student A had claimed on Snap Chat that Student B intended to come to school with a 9mm gun and shoot people.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the sheriff’s department deployed deputies to Bethel and Royalton campuses, with Royalton Police providing additional support at the Royalton school.
By 7:15 a.m., Sheriff Palmer, Sgt. Beraldi, and Deputy Howe arrived at the residence of Student B.
The student was not home, having spent the night elsewhere, but deputies were able to speak with the parents.
They learned of a dispute involving Student B and a group connected to Student A and confirmed that a BB gun linked to the incident had been confiscated by Royalton Police.
The family assured the authorities that they did not have firearms and that Student B had no access to such weapons.
Upon locating Student B at a friend’s house, deputies determined after an interview that the student had neither the means nor the intent to carry out the alleged threat.
Student B was left in the care of their parents and will not be attending school for some time.
Further investigation revealed that Student A’s alarming messages were based on hearsay.
After discussing the situation with the WRVSU Superintendent, Sheriff Palmer announced that deputies would remain on school grounds throughout the day, including during dismissal and afterschool activities.
The sheriff’s department, which has an agreement to provide law enforcement services to WRVSU, reiterated that at no point were students and staff in actual danger.
Sheriff Palmer praised the supervisory union’s leadership for their prompt and effective response to the threat.
