MARION, Va. (WJHL) – A high school in Smyth County, Virginia closed at noon on Monday after a student allegedly sent threatening messages to classmates through Apple’s Airdrop feature.
According to a release from Smyth County school officials, several students at Marion Senior High School told administrators that a message had been airdropped to their phone. AirDrop, a feature offered on some Apple products, allows users to send images, text and files to other nearby devices.
In response to the messages, the release said school officials involved their School Resource Officer (SRO) and began coordinating with the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). The exact contents of the message have not been released as of Monday evening.
After speaking with the school’s SRO, administrators said they placed Marion Senior High in “Administrative Hold,” which kept students in their current classroom until further notice. After the hold, students were then dismissed at noon in cooperation with local law enforcement.
School and law enforcement officials reportedly worked directly with Apple to determine the identity of the student that allegedly made the threats. Smyth County Sheriff Chip Shuler said criminal charges were pending against the student on Monday.
Smyth County officials thanked the SCSO, Town of Marion Police Department and Virginia State Police for their help during the incident.
