Threat being investigated at Utica Elementary School

UTICA – Police are investigating a threat made by a pair of students at Utica Elementary School.

Parents received a letter from North Fork Superintendent Scott Hartley on Monday informing them of the incident.

The letter states that the building principal was notified of a "serious threat to the school" late Friday afternoon.

"Upon investigating the issue, it was determined that two students developed a plan to do harm to staff and students. ... The quick action by the staff and administration of the building brought this plan to light so that it could be resolved quickly," Hartley said in the letter.

The students were removed from the school after the incident, which remains under investigation. Staff and counselors will be available to students who need help or would like to talk.

A parent forwarded the letter to The Advocate, saying parents were not notified Friday that anything was wrong.

"They wouldn't have been notified Friday because it happened late, everyone was gone by that time," Hartley said Monday. "We were only three quarters of the way into investigation at 8 or 9 that night, so we weren't able to notify them until we got back on Monday."

Hartley referred all other questions to the Utica Police Department and did not comment further on the incident. Utica Police Chief Cliff Bigler was unavailable Monday evening to provide any other details.

emaddern@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @emmaddern