Police in Northern Ireland are investigating a threatening email sent to multiple schools and businesses, after reports came in on Tuesday morning in the County Antrim area. Officers said they were carrying out a number of enquiries, while reassurance patrols were increased in the areas affected.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it would be engaging with anyone affected, including schools, businesses and partner agencies, throughout the day as the investigation continued. It also urged anyone who sees anything suspicious to call 101, or 999 in an emergency.
St Benedict's College in Randalstown said the PSNI had been informed of the email and that, at this stage, the matter was not being treated as a serious threat. The school said its doors would remain locked throughout the day as normal and that pupils would stay indoors until further guidance was received from police.
The concern spread quickly beyond the schools themselves. Trevor Clarke said he had spoken to police on Tuesday morning and that an investigation had been opened, while SDLP councillor Roisin Lynch said she welcomed the swift response from police, emergency services and schools.
Clarke said the wording of the message raised questions and that alarm should not be caused unnecessarily, adding that the message had also been shared online and that parents would understandably be worried. He said it was important to follow any advice given by police to school leaders.
The incident comes as County Antrim schools were among the institutions affected by the email, with police now working through the response across the area while they continue to assess the threat. The immediate question for families and staff is not whether the message was taken seriously, but whether police can quickly establish who sent it and why.
Lynch said no parent should have to fear for their child's safety when sending them to school and no young person should have their education disrupted by threats of this nature. For now, the response from police and schools has been to keep doors shut, pupils inside and the public informed while enquiries continue.
