Cosby High School in Chesterfield County was closed Thursday after a student threatened to blow up the school, according to an announcement by Principal Ben Snyder.
The threat was made late Wednesday in an online group chat involving eight students, Snyder said. School officials were made aware of the incident and immediately contacted Chesterfield police.
Snyder said Chesterfield police went to the home of the student and swept the building with K-9 units before clearing it as safe. He did not say whether any charges had been filed against the student who issued the threat.
In a statement, Chesterfield police said officers also had "responded to the school and cleared the building" and determined that the threat was not credible.
In an interview with investigators, the student said the statement was a joke. The student did not "have the means to carry (it) out," police added.
People are also reading…
The decision to close the school, located at 14300 Fox Club Parkway in Midlothian, was made "out of an abundance of caution," Snyder said. School administration will announce its plans for Friday by 4 p.m. Thursday, he added.
Chesterfield Public Schools spokesperson Shawn Smith referred questions regarding the incident and the investigation to Chesterfield police.