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Rosa Woods / Stuff
Police carried out an open and undercover operation at Wellington High School Thursday morning after “credible threats” were made online.
Covert and overt operations involving about 30 police officers, including the armed criminal squad, were carried out after “credible threats” were made against Wellington High School the day before its closure.
Things understands that the police made an urgent request to the social networking site Instagram to obtain information about the account that had posted threats online. The account was subsequently deleted.
Once the suspects were identified, surveillance teams were posted at various properties across the wider Wellington region.
A young man faces charges of illegally possessing a .22 rifle and five rounds of ammunition after the incident.
Things understands that more charges are being considered.
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After a second appearance in Juvenile Court on Friday, he was detained again in a secure juvenile justice facility, probably until December 4.
Another young man was referred to Youth Aid.
Things understands that police also considered closing Wellington High School on Thursday.
However, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that a threat was imminent that day.
Director Dominic Killalea said Things He was first informed of the threats at 8.30am on Thursday, at which point the school began to close.
The school had previously practiced lockdown drills and worked with emergency planning specialist Harrison Tew, who devise site-specific lockdown, crisis management and emergency response plans.
Kevin Stent / Stuff
A variety of lockdown drills are practiced with Wellington High School students, Principal Dominic Killalea said.
Killalea said the “difficult” thing about lockdown drills is that they can be “quite traumatic” for children.
On the advice of the Ministry of Education, the school planned to hold another lockdown drill with only teachers, and then it was planning another full school next year.
At 9.40 a.m. M., Parents were alerted via the school’s app and a post was later posted on the school’s Facebook page. An email was later sent to the parents.
Killalea said not sending an email right away was a “learning curve for the school.”
“No, we do not send an email … in the first instance and that is learning for us.”
“The first priority was to keep students and teachers safe, then we could get to communication,” he said.
Sophie Cornish / Stuff
A police car outside Wellington High School Thursday after “credible threats” were made online about the school.
The school has a “complex site” with a community education center, which operates independently, a preschool and Massey University also nearby, Killalea said.
A school luncheon for LGBTQI + students was held on Friday, which was well received, he said.
“It was just to tell them about the support we have available to them … and just to make it clear that they weren’t being targeted, as far as we know.
Other Wellington schools had offered support, including offering their guidance counselors to help support students – a positive thing that often happens between schools, when needed, Killalea said.
