CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Manchester Middle School will not open on Friday "out of an abundance of caution," a morning message sent to parents read.
"Last night, Chesterfield Police notified the school division that they received a report from a student that there is an online chat that referenced someone planning to shoot up Manchester Middle today (September 6, 2024)," the message read. "Closing the school today for students and staff will allow Chesterfield Police additional time to work on their investigation."
Chesterfield Police told CBS 6 they continue to investigate, "however at this time, we have found no evidence that the communicated threat is credible."
"The Chesterfield County Police Department remains committed to preserving life, protecting the vulnerable, and working with our partners in the schools and the community. Our agency takes all reports of this nature seriously and thoroughly investigates each one. A suspect who communicates a threat over social media could be charged with threats of death or bodily injury to persons on school property or harassment by computer," police added. "Anyone with any information about an incident of this nature should call police at 804-748-1251. We also encourage parents to talk with their students about how important it is to use social media responsibly and report potential threats."
The school previously announced there would be an added police presence on Friday morning.
WATCH: What police are saying about student with BB gun at Chesterfield bus stop
Chesterfield police also investigated another incident Thursday afternoon involving Falling Creek Middle School.
In an email sent to parents, the school system said a student at a bus stop reportedly lifted their shirt to show a BB gun in their waistband. It added police and the child's parents were contacted and there is an ongoing investigation.
They added the BB gun was retrieved and they do not believe it was ever on school property.
"I know that this is concerning to everyone, and I am appreciative of students speaking up to alert the school division about what had happened in the area," the email added. "In light of this incident we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and talk to their students about making good choices to ensure the safety of our students and school community."
These two incidents are just some examples of what Virginia school systems have dealt with following a high school shooting earlier this week in Georgia killed four people and injured nearly a dozen more.
A 14-year-old Apalachee High School student is charged with four counts of murder. His father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, was also arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children.
Richmond and Hanover public schools said they would have an increased law enforcement presence at their buildings following the shooting.
Elsewhere in Virginia on Friday, the entire Pulaski County School system was shutdown after it says multiple threats were made.
Campbell County Public Schools said an online image threatened a shooting at Brookville High School and had an increased police presence.
They added the early investigation indicated the same image has been circulating around the country over the last few days, just with different names attached to it.
Franklin County Public Schools said they also had additional police presence at its schools because of online threats, but add they did not think they were credible as no specific school or division was mentioned.
Meanwhile, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R - Virginia) office said he is monitoring the various situations.
"While there are currently no active threats, Governor Youngkin is aware of these isolated incidents and has complete confidence that local law enforcement is addressing them appropriately," his spokesman said in a statement. "The Governor appreciates the strong partnership between the Office of Public Safety & Homeland Security, schools, and local law enforcement. We encourage all law enforcement agencies to continue reporting threats of violence to the Virginia Fusion Center."
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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