Zion parents, the following statement was put out by Kearney Public School and in consultation with the Kearney Police Dept. The investigation did make mention of Zion, so we are alerting our parents accordingly. Please note that the investigation deemed the threat to be NOT CREDIBLE. KPD stepped up patrols around schools out of an abundance of caution. Personally, this principal found the communication with both KPS and KPD to be excellent. It is good to know that all parties are on the same page and take all potential threats very seriously.
Tony Splittgerber - Principal
STATEMENT:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We understand that the safety and security of our students are of paramount importance to you, and we wanted to take a moment to address a recent situation that occurred today.
Kearney Police Investigate a Rumor of an Active Shooter Plan
On Tuesday August 22, 2023, at approximately 5 p.m., the Kearney Police Department took a report in reference to information about a potential threat toward multiple Kearney Public Schools, University of Nebraska- Kearney, and Zion Lutheran School. Kearney Police immediately investigated the report and determined there was no credible threat.
KPD worked closely with the Administrations at KPS, UNK, and Zion Lutheran, communicating details of this report. Additional resources from KPD and UNKPD were in place at the schools this morning out of an abundance of caution.
All KPS, UNK, and Zion students and staff at the schools are safe. No learning has been disrupted and business is operating as usual. As always, members of the community are encouraged to report information to the police.
After careful assessment and investigation by KPD and in consultation with KPS leadership, it was determined that the threat was not credible. Despite this fact, we believe that it is our responsibility to treat any potential threat with the utmost seriousness. As a result, we took extra precautions at all of our schools to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone on our campuses. These precautions included increased police presence around the schools, placing our principals on alert, and dispatching our School Resource Officers to ensure a swift and coordinated response to any situation.
We understand that such situations can be unsettling, and we appreciate your trust and understanding as we navigated through this matter. Rest assured, your child's safety is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining a secure and conducive learning environment.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
Jason Mundorf
KPS Superintendent