The following information is from William S. Hackett Middle School Principal Michael Paolino:
William S. Hackett Middle School implemented lockout and hold-in-place procedures at about 1 p.m. Friday after the school received a bomb threat.
The 91 Police Department and New York State Police responded to assist with the investigation. Police K9 units searched the building thoroughly and found no reason for concern. During the law enforcement investigation, students, faculty and staff remained in their classrooms and no one was allowed in or out of the building – standard emergency procedures during a lockout and hold-in-place.
Police have arrested a Hackett student on a charge of conspiracy related to this incident. Police allege that the student met the caller through the online platform Discord.
Discord is a VoIP, instant messaging and digital distribution platform. Users communicate with voice calls, video calls, text messaging, media and files in private chats or as part of communities called “servers.” Servers are a collection of chat rooms and voice chat channels.
Parents and guardians, please talk with your children about safe and appropriate use of social media, online communication and video tools, and apps. Please monitor their usage to ensure that their digital interactions do not pose a potential threat to themselves, your family or others.
I am proud of the way our students, faculty and staff conducted themselves during the emergency procedures, and I am grateful for their cooperation. I also am grateful to our emergency personnel for their quick response and thorough investigation, and to our district leaders for their support throughout Friday’s investigation.
Please know that the safety and security of all of our students, faculty and staff is a top priority at Hackett and throughout the district. If you have any questions about Friday’s incident, please contact me at mpaolino@albany.k12.ny.us or (518) 475-6475.
