SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah, Dec. 17, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Schools in San Juan County have been moved to virtual classes Friday after a “suspicious” device was found.
A Facebook post from San Juan County School District Superintendent Ron Nielson on Friday morning says: “Yesterday afternoon, a threatening comment was received at one of our schools. Then, later in the evening a suspicious device appearing to be some type of home-made explosives was found at a second SJSD school.”
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Department along with the Navajo Nation Police responded and determined it to be non-functional as an explosive device but still dangerous in nature, the post says.
“These incidents added to the recent activity on TikTok and our commitment to ensure the continued safety of students and staff, the decision was made that Friday, Dec. 17 would be a virtual day of instruction for all students,” the post says. “This will allow time for further investigation. I thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this situation. We do believe these incidents are related to the TikTok challenge.”
The post says the district plans to resume in-person learning on Monday.
“Should anything come to light in our ongoing investigation to require a change of plan, we will again reach out to inform parents and public,” the post says. “Again, thank you for your patience and understanding as we look further into these incidents.”
Schools across Utah were on high alert Thursday after social media threats in numerous districts, which led to a student at Matheson Junior High School in Draper being taken into custody. On Friday, a student from East High School was arrested after allegedly bringing a gun to school.
