By Eric Stevick
Herald Writer
Five more campuses in the Everett School District have received e-mail threats similar to the ones that closed Cascade High School Friday.
None of the schools went into total lockdown Monday but there was increased security at several of the campuses in Everett and Mill Creek, district officials said.
"The police consider this a crime," said Gay Campbell, the school district representative. "This is not a little prank."
Police and technology experts are investigating the e-mails and trying to track down their origin, Campbell said.
Cascade received a series of e-mails Friday, which became increasingly specific in the threats. Four staff members received the e-mails that day. Although e-mailed to individuals, the threat was made to a large group of students and staff, prompting the decision to lock down the campus and send students home early, Cascade officials said.
Other schools began receiving similar threats over the weekend and Monday morning. Those schools included Jackson and Everett Alternatives high schools, Evergreen and Heatherwood middle schools and Emerson Elementary School.
Letters sent home to parents reported the threats, explained precautions that were taken and tried to assure that the district "will try to do everything we can" to provide a safe environment and catch whoever is making the threats, Campbell said.
Some threats were sent to school district employees who were not at the schools they were e-mailed to, Campbell said. She did not elaborate on the content of the threats, saying that is part of the criminal investigation.
At Cascade last week, police and state troopers canvassed the campus, using at least one dog that was trained to search for explosives, officials said.
You can call Herald Writer Eric Stevick at 425-339-3446 or send e-mail to stevick@heraldnet.com.
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