Update: Law enforcement completes sweep of Emmett schools following ‘direct threat’

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The Emmett School District canceled classes Thursday after receiving a “direct threat,” according to a message posted on the district’s Facebook page shortly after 7 a.m.

Law enforcement completed a sweep of Emmett school buildings and gave the all-clear by 1:30 p.m., according to district spokesperson Amanda Weers.

The district declined to provide details on the nature of the threat, which was also referred to as a “specific threat” in a popup message on the district website.

School was canceled for students and staff at all eight of the district’s schools for the remainder of the day, Weers said.

Weers said the threat was received before school started. Officials redirected buses that were already en route, Weers told the Idaho Statesman in an email.

Emmett Superintendent Craig Woods said in a video that law enforcement’s investigation into the incident was “ongoing” and they would be “moving forward to try to solve what’s causing this.”

The agencies that helped address the threat included the city of Emmett, the Emmett Police Department, Idaho State Police, the Gem County Sheriff’s Office and Gem County Emergency Manager Jeff Ulmer.

“I think everybody worked extremely well today and I’d like to thank the Idaho State Police for coming over to give us assistance,” Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder said in a video posted to social media.

All classes will resume tomorrow and the school is looking into how to “compensate for today’s lost learning day,” the district said.