Numerous bomb threats have been made against public places such as schools, hospitals, and even businesses in the last few weeks. The effect of such bomb threats caused widespread panic in the United States and Canada despite their lack of authenticity.

The location and source of the bomb threats were not specified, and the person responsible for the distribution of them remains unknown. Police in the U.S. and Canada reported that the threats were distributed in various ways, including by email and phone. An officer in New York reported a bomb threat being distributed via Twitter demanding a bitcoin payment.

Students from mostly rural areas in both countries were evacuated from schools. Several of the major schools threatened with bombs were the Bronx High School in New York and Columbine High School in Colorado. Colorado’s Columbine High School in 1999 had an infamous school shooting in which 13 people were slaughtered by two students, which is why the police force in Littleton took the bomb threat solemnly. Police officers in Oklahoma reported about 13 bomb threats being circulated via email.

Bomb threat messages that were very similar to the ones residing in the U.S. were reported in Canada. Less than ten were circulated near the Ottawa area, five in Montreal, and an unspecified amount in Winnipeg, Calgary and British Columbia. Despite the fact that the bomb threats were not real or authentic, the police forces of both the U.S. and Canada did not take any chances.

“I wouldn’t say I feel safe, but there is a sense that these are just threats that won’t actually happen or result in an action,” said Avery Torres, a student at WHHS. Any ordinary student can make an empty threat, but if can they act upon that threat is the risk that the police force will not take.