An investigation is ongoing in Dedham, Massachusetts, after a violent threat was allegedly made, leading school officials to cancel Friday night's football games -- the first of the year.
Superintendent Nan Murphy of Dedham Public Schools and Dedham Police Chief Mike D'Entrement announced in a message to the school community Friday that an anonymous threat had been called in to Dedham High School.
The caller, whose phone number was blocked, "reported a rumor that a student was going 'to shoot up the football game today,'" the officials said in the announcement.
Initially, officials said there would be an increased police presence at the game against Dover-Sherborn. They later announced the JV and varsity games had been called off, a joint decision between both school districts.
Players and community members are frustrated and wonder why someone would threaten violence at an event like this.
"It was kind of scary to me," said Evan Howley, a player on Dedham's junior varsity team. "It was very unexpected. I was getting hyped up for the game and I was getting ready to play."
"People of Dedham are strong people and I think they'll do the right thing," Rob Burke said. "As far as the nitwit that does something like this, think about that, how lonely this person, how self-centered, selfish, narcissistic, for what? To get some attention?"
The school districts have not said when the games will be rescheduled.
The threat in Dedham comes on the heels of two tragic instances of school violence across the U.S. In Georgia, a 14-year-old opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder on Wednesday, killing two students and two teachers. On Friday, a student at a Maryland high school died after being shot by another student during an altercation in a school bathroom.
Dedham police have said there's no reason to believe the threat here was credible. NBC10 Boston has reached out for any possible update in the investigation.
