Edina Schools students sent home following ‘concerning voicemails’

EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Edina Public Schools staff notified parents Wednesday about "concerning messages" left on a school voicemail, prompting the district to send students home while authorities investigate their credibility.

According to a district announcement, the messages were left at Normandale Elementary School around 7:30 a.m., resulting in the closing of the Edina Community Center, Southview and Concord campuses, including its Early Learning Center and Spanish Dual Language school.

The Edina and Bloomington police departments investigated the incident and were able to identify one 10-year-old girl and one 11-year-old girl in connection to the threats.

They have since been released to their parents, and the case will be presented to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The girls are not current or former students in Edina, and there is no threat to the public, officials have said.

Previously, on Friday, Sept. 15, police arrested a 17-year-old boy for allegedly posting a threatening video on social media taken outside of Edina High School.

Police informed Edina Public Schools about the threat, and officials moved Edina High School and Edina Valley View Middle School to e-learning out of an abundance of caution as police investigated the threat. Authorities did not provide a motive for the threat, but said he was not a current or former student at the high school.

On Monday, the teen was charged with threats of violence and illegal possession of ammo.

The teen, who FOX 9 is not identifying because of his age, was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center for questioning. Authorities say the boy claimed his Snapchat account had been hacked and invoked his right to remain silent.