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Hamden High School closed Friday following social media threat: police

Police said they received a tip around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, and school and law enforcement officials decided to close the school as a precaution.

HAMDEN, Conn. — A social media post that surfaced Thursday night that seemed to target Hamden High School forced officials to cancel classes and keep students home on Friday.

Just after 9 p.m. Thursday night, a post on Snapchat threatened that someone planned to shoot up the high school. Hamden police launched an investigation into the online post.

Out of an abundance of caution, officials decided to close the school. The decision was made in conjunction with school officials, Mayor Lauren Garrett’s office, and the police department.

"It’s very sad what’s going on with our students and with violence nationwide," said Garrett, who is the mother of two Hamden High School students. "And, so, I worry about their safety, and I worry about the safety of all of our students.”

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In fact, she said her daughter, who is a junior, showed her the social media post just before she received word from the superintendent of schools and police chief.

"This is a very serious incident for someone to perpetrate," said Hamden Police Chief John Sullivan. "If they were caught, they you know this is a serious crime."

It would be punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted of making threat against a school in Connecticut.

"There has been a lot of chatter about fights in the schools and so there was a large fight expected today in the schools," Garrett said.

So, Hamden High School was closed Friday, out of an abundance of caution.

"As far as the Snapchat, it’s going to be very difficult to find who that person is based on the way that it was sent out," Sullivan said.

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Difficult, he said, because this post appears to be a copy of a previous Snapchat post.

"And the other information was received on an anonymous tip line," he added.

With one freshman stabbing another earlier this week right after school and another student caught with a loaded gun in his backpack in October, there has been and will continue to be a stepped-up police presence for the foreseeable future.

The Mayor says freshmen have had a particularly rough go of it early this school year, because of the unsettled atmosphere. And she would know. She has a son, who is a freshman at the high school.

Anyone with information regarding this threat is asked to contact the Hamden Police Department at 203-230-4000. Information provided can remain confidential, police said.

RELATED: Authorities: Student kills 4, wounds 7 with father's gun at east Michigan high school

Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.

Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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