Walt Whitman High School phone threat deemed 'not credible' by police, South Huntington district says
Walt Whitman High School is shown on Oct. 19, 2022. Credit: Rick Kopstein
South Huntington Union Free School District officials said a threat targeting Walt Whitman High School on Friday had been deemed "not credible" — although police are investigating the incident.
Suffolk County police said Friday that Second Precinct officers were investigating a threatening voicemail left at the school. As a precaution, patrols will be increased in the area, police said.
In an open letter to district parents, guardians, students and staff, Superintendent Vito M. D'Elia said police investigated the incident and determined "that the threatening message was created by a juvenile, located in the state of Texas."
It was not immediately clear when South Huntington officials became aware of the threat, though D'Elia's letter said it "occurred through a phone message."
Police said they were notified by school officials at 8:20 a.m.
In his letter, D'Elia wrote: "This morning the district was made aware of a voicemail threatening violence towards Walt Whitman High School."
He also wrote: "Due to the nature of this threat, and the seriousness in which our district takes such information, Walt Whitman High School administration immediately began to correspond with the Suffolk County Police Department and District Administration in an effort to track and identify the individual who made such a claim."
He added that though the threat had been deemed "not credible" by police, "I wanted to reach out and let our school community know that all instances like this are taken very seriously and will be reviewed and vetted by both the SCPD and District Administration to ensure that our staff and students continue to remain safe."
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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