ATKINS, Ark. — The hallways and classrooms of Atkins High School were mostly empty on Wednesday— after many families made the decision to keep their students home when threats were found written in a boy's bathroom
"A lot of parents took advantage of that and kept them home, which is completely understandable," Superintendent Dr. Lori Edgin said.
According to a Facebook post on the district's page, that threat said, "I'm going to shoot up the school on January 4th."
It was a nightmare scenario and one that Edgin explained is all too common.
"The way the world is now, and as often as it happens and as close to home as it has happened," she said. "We always have it in the back of our mind to be prepared and to think it could happen to us."
Families were given the option to keep their students out of school on Wednesday, and out of nearly 340 students enrolled at the high school about 15 were in attendance.
"We weren't vague in explaining what the threat was because we wanted the parents to have as much information as they could so they can make the best decision for their kids," Edgin described.
It was quick to spot the extra security around the high school as officers roamed the hallways, and squad cars filled the student parking spots.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the suspect who they said was behind the threat has been caught.
Punishment for the threat could range anywhere from a warning to expulsion, though the legal side of things could warrant more punishment.
"We have turned that over to the prosecuting attorney," Edgin said. "We'll see where that goes, that's completely turned over to them at this point."
Though Wednesday may not have looked like a typical day, Edgin explained that they won't stick on this.
They still have students to teach and to keep safe as well.
"We still have a police presence, increased police presence on campus, just to give them a little more police of mind," Edgin said. "That's what we want, but we're ready to start again."
Normal campus activities will resume on Thursday.