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SOMERS, N.Y. – It was business as usual at Somers High School at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, despite Wednesday’s threat by a former student.
The threat first appeared on the ex-student’s Facebook page and was later reported to police. The Somers Central School District responded by sending an email to all parents.
“At this point we have no reason to believe there is any reason for concern,” it said. “Please send your child to school as usual.” Meanwhile, the New York State Police located the youth and took him into custody. His name and charges have not been released.
“Someone took a screen shot of what the kid wrote on Facebook, and it went around the moms,” said parent Peg Rosenzweig. “I called the State Police about 6 a.m. and they said it was still under investigation. I didn’t get the school’s email until 6:59 a.m.”
Parent Liz Engel Fedele wrote on The Daily Voice Facebook page: “I heard the email was sent out this morning at 7 a.m. Most kids were gone already (mine was). My neighbor called me at 7:45. We should have been given notice via an early morning call the same way they do with snow cancellations. My son is still at school and fine with it but it would have been nice to know earlier regardless!”
“I don’t blame the school,” said Rosenzweig. “They didn’t want to scare people until they knew it was a serious threat.”
Sophomores Ryan Grossman and Chris Caponera, both 15, were enjoying lunch together under a shady tree. “This isn’t the first time he’s done this,” they said. “I was never really afraid,” said Caponera.
Grossman added, “Why would he put it on Facebook if he was really going to do something?”
“I knew the kid as a freshman,” said senior Jerry Healy, 17. “He would say stuff like this all the time. He’s completely harmless.”
Seventeen-year-old Dan Levat and Joey Houslanger, 16, both seniors, were among the students leaving early. “I was pretty shocked when I heard it,” said Houslanger. “I’ve heard he had affiliations with other groups. I was worried that they’d release him.”
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