Vague threat put Eastern High School on heightened security Thursday, principal says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Eastern High School was on heightened security as a precaution Thursday after school officials received a screenshot of a vague, threatening post in a student group chat.

In a letter to Eastern families Thursday, Principal Heather Orman said they received the post Wednesday night, though it didn't mention the school specifically.

Jefferson County Public Schools police officers were on campus Thursday as a precaution, Orman said.

"We must all continue to work together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our school community," she wrote.

Orman said work began Thursday on the installation of a weapons detection system at the school, a system that is rolling out to all high schools in the district this year. Ballard High School was the first to begin installing its system earlier this week.

The system scans bags and pockets in real time. If an item is seen on the scanner as a student walks through it, the normally green light on the system turns red and a photo of the student will be shown on a tablet visible to trained staff. The photo will also have a red box around the "potentially dangerous item," and the trained staff member will search that area.