Instagram 'Hit List' Threatens New Brighton School District Students
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NEW BRIGHTON (KDKA) -- Some parents are frightened and angry after a so-called hit list threatening several New Brighton School District students appeared on Instagram.
A robo-call went out to parents in the district: "Overnight the New Brighton Police Department was made aware of a situation within the community which involved students."
The situation involved an Instagram post. Melissa Jackson's son is mentioned.
"It's under New Brighton Clowns' Instagram page, like a hit list of him and nine of his friends," she said.
Jackson says the message is threatening.
"[The post said] that they were going to stab them or shoot them," she said. "It just said 'chapters,' and it had all the kids' names beside it, like chapter one was one kid. My son was actually chapter five."
Also mentioned on the "hit list" -- one parent, Nicole White, and two of her children.
"I'm very terrified because I have two children that basically are on the hit list right now, including myself," White said. "My oldest son is in the group of the boys, but there was a personal message that said my name and -- not my other son's name, but basically him being targeted, saying that we've been watched for a couple of weeks now."
The post also said, "Soon [Nicole] and your brother will be nothing but a memory."
When students arrived at the high school Thursday morning, there was an extra police presence on campus and every student's bag was checked before they entered the building.
There were no on-camera comments from the New Brighton Police or the school district, but the robo-call did say this: "The police will continue the investigation and will inform the school district if there are additional matters."
All posts on the Instagram account have since been deleted.
