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SUNY Canton cancels classes as students, staff warned to seek shelter, lock doors after second Yik Yak threat received

Posted 10/23/14

Revised 12:50 p.m. CANTON -- SUNY Canton students and staff have been asked to seek shelter and lock their doors while authorities look for signs that a second threat posted on Yik Yak is genuine. …

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SUNY Canton cancels classes as students, staff warned to seek shelter, lock doors after second Yik Yak threat received

Posted

Revised 12:50 p.m.

CANTON -- SUNY Canton students and staff have been asked to seek shelter and lock their doors while authorities look for signs that a second threat posted on Yik Yak is genuine.

While the school tried to maintain its regular schedule after a first threat was received early this morning, a second threat posted on the social media app Yik Yak has forced authorities to take no chances.

The second message said to expect something to happen at noon, but that time has passed and no reports of unusual incidents have been sent out.

SUNY Canton has posted an alert timeline on its web site at http://www.canton.edu/news/index.php/classes/.

The college was on alert early this morning after an anonymous poster on social media app Yik Yak threatened to kill him or herself and planned on "taking as many of you worthless piles of crap" too.

The college has sent a message about the most recent threat to concerned people on campus:

"The College has received a second threat via Yik Yak and the campus is under lockdown. Please seek shelter or remain where you are. Lock all doors and stay away from windows. In danger? Contact University Police at 386-7777."

The exact nature of the newest threat has not been revealed, nor is it known if the threat has manfested itself in any way on campus.

The mother of a SUNY Canton student was concerned for her son's safety.

"He messaged me mom what do I do i said keep your head down slowly leave stay low, he is now odd campus with a friend, scared right to death.  But he said it's now on lock down, as a parent this is our worst nightmare come true," she said in an email message to NorthCountryNow.com.

Since then she has said that her son is off campus and safe, "thank God."

After the first threat, police had been posted at conspicuous places on campus in an effort to reassure people on campus that the regular schedule should go ahead.

In a message to staff and students after the first threat this morning, college president Zvi Szafran said there was no credible evidence of substance to the threat, and that police were working with YikYak to identify the person who sent the message.

“We recognize the concern about the recent threat that came over the anonymous social media site, YikYak. There is no evidence at this point that the threat is either credible or imminent. SUNY Canton will be holding classes and activities as scheduled,” said Szafran in his email message.

Our earlier story can be seen here.