Riverhead Elementary School Threat a False Alarm

Back-to-school season has brought with it reported threats of bombs and shootings across Long Island, but one scare on the East End turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Riverhead Town Police officers responded to a home shortly before 7 a.m. on September 11 after a parent reported that their child saw a social media post on Snapchat warning of an unspecified threat toward Pulaski Elementary School and other schools, police said. School officials were alerted and police beefed up patrols in response.

“Upon further investigation, it was determined that the Pulaski Elementary School mentioned is a school from out of state and the local authorities in that jurisdiction are already aware of the post and is currently being investigated by them,” police said in a news release.

Despite the confusion, the police department said that the public should still immediately report any threats of violence against a local school posted on social media.