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CHARLOTTE, NC – The end of the day brought relief for students on edge at Providence High School. “It was really ominous. And just kind of creepy,” says Providence senior Emily Crage.
On the ground and in the sky, the police presence was hard to miss. Concerned parents kept nearly half of the students home from Providence Monday.
Two threats promising violence were posted on the social media site Yik Yak over the weekend. They continued Monday, with one post reading: “This is where I become famous,” with a picture of a gun.
We saw parents coming to pick up their kids throughout the day. Many students didn’t show up at all. “In my first block, I think there was like six kids. My second block there was five,” Crage says.
Meantime, grandparent John Oriscak says the police presence is reassuring. His family was worried because he says an email from the principal over the weekend didn’t give many details about the threat. “We’re going through all kinds of scenarios of what could happen,” Oriscak says.
Sophomore Abbie Peck and her parents decided it was best to stay home. “They’re doing something, but I don’t know if it’s enough,” Peck says.
Police also stepped up patrols in Ballantyne at Ardrey Kell High School. Parents came to pick up their kids early after hearing of similar threats at the school.
“There was a lot of cops and I was thinking, ‘Maybe something is going on, I’m just not sure,’ and then I got the phone call,” explains Ardrey Kell parent Stephanie Aron.
The suspect is not a student. CMS says they will work with police to prosecute anyone involved.
