TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — UPDATE: 11:15 a.m.
The investigation into a possible threat against Cienega High School seen on social media Tuesday has determined the post is not tied to the local community, and "is not considered viable," according to school Principal Kim Middleton.
Full letter:
Good Morning Cienega Families,
I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with an update on the investigation into the threatening social media post we learned about later this morning.
I has been determined that the original social media post was circulated in reference to a school campus in Memphis, Tennessee in 2018.
At this time, the threat to Cienega High School is not considered viable.
Our partners at the Pima County Sheriff's office have not found that the post is tied to anyone in our community. However, we are still working to determine where and how the post originated in our community and then spread across our families' homes.
I want to again take this opportunity to thank the students and families who reached out to us directly with information regarding this disturbing image. Your willingness to share the information and trust us to investigate and work though this incident is a testament to our partnership and your trust in us.
...The trust in your families, across our community and with our schools is so very important when navigating difficult and scary situations like this one. I'm grateful to be part of a community that is built on that type of trust and strong connections with each other.
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Cienega High School is working with Pima County Sheriff's Department to investigate a social media post that is being interpreted as a potential threat against the campus.
Authorities at this point have said the threat does not appear credible.
According to Principal Kim Middleton, members of law enforcement agencies are on the Cienega campus "aggressively investigating" the post.
Middleton stated in a letter to families Tuesday morning, "Based on the information we have at this point, our expectation is a normal school day and schedule. We will certainly provide additional updates if the information changes."
As of the time the letter was issued, school officials and law enforcement were unaware who made the original post to social media. The contents of the post have not been made available.
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Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
