School officials: Threat unfounded

ISLE OF WIGHT, Va. (WAVY) - 10 On Your Side contacted Isle of Wight County Schools after several parents said they had heard a student created a "hit list."

Parents of children enrolled at Smithfield High School told WAVY.com they were concerned when they heard a student was found with a hit list Thursday, containing names of fellow students and several teachers. 

Kenita Bowers with Isle of Wight County Schools said Smithfield's principal and his administrative team worked with law enforcement and concluded the threat was unfounded.  Bowers said there was a rumor of a threat that had been made about a teacher at Smithfield High School.  Both the school system and the sheriff's office investigated and found the rumor was not true.

Bowers sent the following statement and said there will be increased police presence at the school Friday.

" Student safety remains a high priority in our school division so there will be an increased police presence at SHS tomorrow to ensure safety and ease the concerns of Parents. School will resume as normal tomorrow and law enforcement will also work with school administrators to continue monitoring the situation."

WAVY.com spoke to one Isle of Wight County mother who kept her ninth and seventh graders home from school Friday because of the threat. Amy Bradshaw said her son received a text message from a friend asking if he had heard about a shooting at the school. 

"We get one shot," Bradshaw said. "If I send them and something happens. The Sheriff's Department, they're on it and I understand that they're taking care of it. But, what if? And we already live with that every day."

Major Gene Drewery with the Southampton County Sheriff's Office said some students in their school district heard the same rumor out of Isle of Wight. 

They've investigated and found there is also no reason for Southampton students and parents to be concerned. The extra patrols at the schools were just a precaution.