Education News

Arrest made after online threats shut some Twin Cities south suburban schools

More than a dozen schools in the southern Twin Cities metro area canceled classes on Tuesday after online threats were made toward the schools.

The schools included all 13 in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district, and Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district.

Burnsville High School and Burnsville Alternative High School — in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district — also dismissed students at midmorning.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Apple Valley police said a 16-year-old boy "believed to be responsible for the threats" had been arrested and that "formal charges will be sought" through the Dakota County Attorney's Office.

The Apple Valley police statement noted the arrest was made in Eagan and that no weapons were located during the course of the search warrant.

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district said a “threatening image” online also named two of its middle schools, Eagle Ridge and Nicollet. By midday on Tuesday district officials said they were canceling all after-school activities but had not yet decided whether or not to cancel classes on Wednesday.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Burnsville police said they were questioning two juvenile suspects around the Eagle Ridge and Nicollet threats but didn’t believe they were connected to the other threats.

That district said all of its elementary and middle schools would hold classes as usual Tuesday.