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Chesapeake police investigate social media threats made against Hickory Middle School students

Posted at 8:59 PM, Nov 12, 2013
and last updated 2013-11-13 20:46:36-05

Chesapeake, Va. - Chesapeake police are investigating after they say threats were made against Hickory Middle School students through social media.

Little detail is known at this time but one parent, Tasha Griffin, took action to get to the bottom of it.

Griffin says she called the school principal to find out why parents were never notified.

"He basically told me it was on a social media website that was between individuals and not between a big group of kids or directed towards the school," Griffin explained.

Chesapeake Public School officials tell NewsChannel 3 police are handling the investigation. Police say they're still trying to piece it all together.

Right now, police say a student at the school made the threats and they believe it happened on Facebook.

But, Griffin says the principal told her the threats were made through the smartphone app, KIK.

"There had been threats, typical middle school threats, 'I don't like you, I hate you' and then somebody else gets involved and, unfortunately, everything snowballed and then rumors start spreading," Griffin said.

Since it has become a bigger issue, Griffin says the school plans to hold a parents night next week to talk about internet safety.It's something she says her family practices on a daily basis.

"We have everything password blocked so we'll sign them on and set timers and stuff so that they don't get all consumed with it," said Griffin.

Griffin also says the school principal told her disciplinary action has been taken.