Threat closes RC Area Schools Today

RAPID CITY, S.D.(KBHB) – Schools across the Rapid City Area System have been canceled today after a threat was received.

According to the Rapid City Police Department, they were notified of a threatening social media post directed at a ‘North Middle School.’ Law enforcement began investigating the origin of the post to determine whether or not it applied to the local North Middle School in Rapid City. At this time, local law enforcement believe the threatening post was about a North Middle School located in Iowa, however RCAS made the decision to cancel school today out of an abundance of caution.

Rapid City Police write that ‘at this time, local law enforcement has yet to find any credible or actionable threat directed at our local school system.’

This threat follows a nationwide TikTok post that was circulating promoting school violence for Friday.

Meade 46-1 Schools sent out a message to parents yesterday about the TikTok post and say there have been no threats directed towards their schools.

However, in the aftermath of what has happened at schools across the nation, there will be additional law enforcement personnel on hand at the district’s schools today.

Watertown Police Chief Tim Toomey issued a release Thursday night stating that there was “no reason to believe [the threats] are credible in any way.”

Capt. Tanner Jondahl of the Aberdeen Police Department similarly said that no credible threats targeting specific schools have been found. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety is keeping local law enforcement agencies updated, he said.