Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) principal Nate Gibbs notified families Tuesday morning that the “weapon” a student was seen holding in a social media video the day prior was not real, and there was no credible threat to the school.
“Our partners at the Eden Prairie Police Department continued into the late evening last night to conduct their own investigation into this incident,” Gibbs wrote in an email sent out Tuesday morning before school. “They have confirmed there is no credible threat to our school. The weapon recovered was a lookalike.”
The school had increased its staff and police support during dismissal on Monday afternoon after a social media video showed a student holding what appeared to be a weapon in a school bathroom.
According to an email sent to families after school on Monday, April 17, Principal Nate Gibbs said, “Near dismissal time this afternoon, we were made aware of a social media video showing a student holding what appeared to be a weapon in a bathroom today.
“This may have been an EPHS restroom — though we cannot confirm that at this time — and we want you to know that we took this matter seriously and had extra staff and police support at school during dismissal. Students were only dismissed after we had confirmed the student was no longer on school property.”
Gibbs said the school would continue investigating the situation and taking all necessary steps to ensure student safety. He added, “Those involved will be held accountable according to our student handbook and discipline policies.”
Gibbs reminded families that all weapons, including lookalike and toy weapons, are prohibited in Eden Prairie Schools per Policy 501: School Weapons Policy.
He said students would be safe attending school on Tuesday. “We want to be clear: Students are safe to attend school tomorrow,” he wrote. “Our school resource officers, administrative team and additional staff will support during arrival, and unauthorized visitors will not be allowed in the building.”
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