Superintendent and authorities address social media post listing Eagle County schools as targets

A widely shared social media post listing various Colorado schools as targets, including some schools in Eagle County, prompted the Eagle County School District to send emails overnight to district families and staff.

In the email sent at 12:28 a.m., Eagle County School District Superintendent Phil Qualman said the district was working with law enforcement to determine the legality of the post while planning additional security measures.

The Eagle County Sheriff's Office wrote on its Facebook page that it had “found no evidence to support the claims made in the post.”

The post continued: “We are working with the school district and will have an increased presence throughout the day.”

Qualman sent a second email to district families and staff at 7:28 a.m. Monday saying that based on the Eagle County Sheriff's Office's investigation, all of the district's schools would remain open that day. There will be “an increased police presence at each school, particularly those schools listed in the social media threat,” and district leaders will also be on-site at schools “to provide additional support,” the email said.

In response to Qualman's first email at 12:28 a.m., a group of students responded, asking to be excused from class for the day without consequences.

“Our student body has been inundated with messages about a possible threat,” the email said. “Despite the uncertainty about the source of this threat, many of us feel vulnerable due to its seriousness. As students, our primary focus should be learning and achieving our goals, but it is difficult to focus when our safety is in question. Due to this situation, many of us are considering not attending school until decisive action is taken to protect all students and staff.”