DES MOINES, Iowa –  The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Friday evening, said school districts and law enforcement across Iowa worked together to address perceived threats against schools across the nation being posted on social media platforms.  On Thursday, officials said the general threat toward all U.S. schools declared Friday, Dec. 17, as “American School Shooting Day.” The posts warned about the possibility of nationwide shootings or bomb threats associated with this day.

The DPS said Friday, “Many school districts and local law enforcement agencies proactively addressed these concerns with parents, students, and staff.  The Iowa Department of Public Safety monitored the situation throughout the day, and worked with school districts and local law enforcement on a small handful of concerns.  No creditable threats of immediate action were received by the Division of Intelligence.

“Public coverage highlighting these types of concerns is clearly important,” authorities say, “but we always need to be careful about sensationalizing that coverage.  A person on a path to violence may seek out the notoriety that comes with sensationalized coverage.”

The Department of Public Safety says it will continue to monitor social media threats, and will continue to work with local law enforcement partners and schools to ensure the safety of the public.