Threatening Emojis Call SWAT Team to Hancock High School

Threatening emojis are what caused Hancock Sheriff’s officials and SWAT members to come out to Hancock High School today.
Hancock High School Principal Tara Ladner says the post was made last night to an anonymous app reading “Don’t come to school tomorrow,” followed by two gun emojis. School resumed as usual this morning, but with extra police presence on hand.
Principal Ladner tells News 25 they have reached out to app managers of the app called “After School” to see about seeking out the identity of the poster. “Apparently you have to be a high school student and if you read on the app they tell you that there’s a way for them to figure out if you’re an adult. You have to be vetted in some way. I’m not sure if it is through another social media component or if the kids have to say yeah, they go to that high school, but when you post, it posts to the whole high school page. This is not something we set up. It is something that kids can just take part of.”
Principal Ladner tells News 25 she’s proud of the quick response the school received shortly after the threat was posted and that safety continues to be a top priority at the school.