Police, school officials investigating threat to Mountain Pointe High School

AHWATUKEE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Police and school officials are investigating a threat made towards Mountain Pointe High School, located near 44th Street and Knox Road.

According to the Tempe Union High School District, a photo of a gun with a threat aimed towards the school was posted to an anonymous social media account on Sunday night.

The school district says at this time, it is unknown if this is a credible threat, but Phoenix police are investigating. No arrests have been made.

Mountain Pointe High School will be open on Monday, however, students have been asked to leave their backpacks at home. A bag check will be performed at the school.

All absences will be excused and teachers have been instructed to not penalize students who are not at school.

The school district says girls who attend school should bring small or clear purses and all students must wear identification.

There will be an increased presence of police on campus on Monday.

School officials do not believe this threat is related to one posted on social media last week by another student.

Letter to parents:

Mountain Pointe Families:

Late last night, we were made aware of a threat to Mountain Pointe High School that was circulating on social media.

We have been in contact with Phoenix Police throughout the day who are investigating the matter. They have informed us they have developed strong investigative leads and are actively following up on them.
Due to the on-going nature of this investigation, we will continue to enforce a non-backpack rule on campus.

It is critical that parents do not speculate about the police investigation, spread rumors about possible suspects, or make assumptions about this matter on social media.

Please know that we are committed to informing parents in an open and transparent manner, but we must respect the investigative process.

We want to applaud Mountain Pointe parents for their efforts to bring awareness to the post. Open communication with your child is critical and we are grateful for the collaborative and proactive efforts made by you to keep us informed on this issue.

In summary:
-- School will be open on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
-- Students should not bring backpacks on campus tomorrow.
-- Students must wear their Mountain Pointe ID badge.
-- Parents should continue to monitor email and the district's website and official social media accounts for updates.
-- Increased police presence will be on campus.


Sincerely,
Mountain Pointe and Tempe Union High School District Administration