Two Manchester schools closed Friday after principal received threat of shooting

Manchester High School was closed Friday after the principal received an email that threatened a shooting would take place there.

Superintendent of Manchester Public Schools Matt Geary said in a letter to the school community the decision to close the high school, located on East Middle Turnpike, and Bentley Academy,  which is in the same building, was made after consulting with police. The principal of the high school opened an email Friday morning that indicated a shooting would take place there that day.

“After consulting with the Manchester Police Department, a decision was made to close the school based on the nature of the threat and the time we became aware,” Geary wrote. “My top priority this morning was preventing students and staff from coming to the building and clearing staff already in the building out of MHS and Bentley.”

Manchester police are investigating and hoping to identify the source of the threatening email, Geary said.

A decision on whether after-school programs scheduled at the school Friday would still take place was expected to be made by the early afternoon.

The high school and Bentley Academy are expected to reopen Monday for school, Geary said. All students will have their bags searched as a precaution as they enter the building, and there will be an extra police presence.

“I understand this remains a scary time for students, parents, and staff members who come to or send loved ones to school every day,” Geary wrote. “We continue to prioritize student and staff safety while also trying to plan for the reality that threats of this nature can come in at any time and, in addition to causing fear and anxiety, are highly disruptive to the education of our students.”

“In every case, we consult with the police department and make decisions based on our ability or inability to mitigate the threat and open schools safely,” Geary continued. “I understand this causes panic — we do our best to get accurate information out to people in a timely manner without providing details that could compromise the investigation of the police department.”