NASHUA, N.H. — Several school districts in Massachusetts and New Hampshire were on high alert Wednesday after robocalls threatened bomb attacks, prompting an increased police presence and security sweeps.
Authorities ultimately said there was no credible threat, and all the schools remain open for learning.
The first threat was reported Tuesday night at two elementary schools in Nashua — Bicentennial Elementary School and Main Dunstable Elementary School, according to school officials. By Wednesday morning, similar robocall threats had spread to schools in several other communities, including Pelham, Litchfield, and Hudson in New Hampshire, as well as Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.
Emergency responders conducted K9 sweeps of the Nashua schools before students arrived for classes. Police cruisers were stationed outside multiple school buildings as a precautionary measure.
“It’s horrifying,” one parent told Boston 25. “You always think it can’t happen to you, but you never know.”
Some parents chose to keep their children home out of concern, while others questioned whether schools should have closed or communicated sooner.
“I thought there should have been a little more notice,” another parent said. “Some kids didn’t get the notification until high school, and middle school students were already at school.”
Nashua Superintendent Mario Andrade said district leaders and law enforcement began responding to the situation early Wednesday morning.
“We’ve been working on this since one o’clock in the morning,” Andrade said. “We were in contact with the police department and walked the schools at four o’clock this morning to assess the situation.”
After reviewing the information and conducting security checks, officials determined there was no credible threat and decided to keep schools open on a normal schedule.
“We determined there was no credible threat, and that’s how we made our decision,” Andrade said, assuring families that student and staff safety remains the top priority.
Police are now investigating whether the threats across multiple communities are connected and are working with the New Hampshire Department of Safety to trace the origin of the robocalls. Authorities cautioned the public not to spread unverified information and encouraged anyone with tips to contact police.
“We take all threats seriously,” Andrade said. “We’re very grateful to our community for their continued partnership and support of the school district.”
Parents acknowledged the precautions but said the situation remains unsettling.
“I do have faith that it’s being handled properly,” one parent said. “But with everything going on, it still puts you on edge.”
Officials reiterated that there is no active danger and emphasized that schools across the affected districts are operating as usual while the investigation continues.
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