Emporia police said this morning that reports of a widespread threat to Emporia High School students has been blown out of proportion. But they continue to investigate an alleged threat left in a voice mail.
The rumor that has been circulating is that a message was left on an Emporia High School student’s cell phone stating that all white girls will be killed at the high school. Emporia Police Chief Michael Heffron said this morning that he’s listened to the tape multiple times, and he can’t tell what’s been said.
The calls were received after 9 p.m. Friday, Heffron said.
“It looks like two separate calls. I can’t hear anything for sure,” Heffron said. “The mother sent the tape to KAKE-TV (In Wichita) and (they) determined what has been said. The first I heard of it was last night at 6 p.m. on the news.
“When KAKE was talking to me yesterday, they said they couldn’t determine what was on there.”
A message was left this morning with the KAKE reporter, asking to see the station’s news story. KAKE’s general manager said the story was not posted to the station’s web site because it came in live from a satellite feed.
Heffron said the initial report was made to police by a parent and the student who received the call. Police do not know who made the phone calls.
“If we did, they’d be down here now,” Heffron said. “We’re working on trying to find out who made the call.”
Heffron said the original call doesn’t have anything to do with the high school.
“The parents have determined that the threats made on the phone are going to occur at the high school,” Heffron said.
Nancy Horst, spokeswoman for Emporia Public Schools, confirmed this morning that there was a report made by a student at the high school.
“We’ve been working with the police chief,” Horst said.
Horst said there are procedures to follow when incidents like this happen.
“Our procedure is to do everything we can to ensure the safety of the students,” Horst said. “And to help the police in any way we can to figure out what happened.”