UPDATE: The threat made towards Jerome High School earlier this morning may have been made to multiple schools across the country and Idaho. Jerome Police Cheif Dan Hall said his office was made aware of a threat of a school shooting at "JHS", Jerome High School, this morning and worked with the Jerome School District to increase police presence at the school. Chief Hall said it was decided to send students home early today in an abundance of caution in small groups with police guarding students as they left the school.

Hall said the threat is still under investigation, but it appears the same specific threat made on social media also impacted a school in Mountain Home, a school in Florida, and several others across the country. The Mountain Home Police Department issued a similar statement saying it had gotten information on the same Snapchat social media post regarding threats of violence towards a school. Mountain Home Police and the Mountain Home School District also decided to close the Mountain Home High School and Mountain Home Junior High School as a precaution. Wendy Ohlensehlen, with the Jerome School District, said school administrators were made aware of the threat by a parent after their child showed them the post. She said it was decided to send the high school students home. All other Jerome School Districts schools continued class with safety protocols taken to varying degrees, depending on the school.

The Jerome Police Department is working with Florida authorities after an arrest was made there with a possible connection to the threat, but they don't know where the threat originated from. In the social media post, which circulated among students, it claimed the individual was going to shoot students and staff at "JHS", which is the acronym for several schools across the country, including the one in Florida and Mountain Home, according to Chief Hall. He said after the shooting at the mall in Boise earlier this week everyone is a little on edge. He credited school staff, parents, and students for helping make the morning go smoothly by cooperating with officers.

EARLIER INFORMATION:
JEROME, Idaho (KLIX)-Authorities and school staff are reportedly taking precautions this morning following a threat made towards a Jerome school on social media. It hasn't been confirmed by the Jerome Police Department or the Jerome School District however, a notification has been shared online notifying parents of a potential threat made towards the Jerome High School. The district informed students through its messaging service that out of an abundance of caution they would be letting the high school students out this morning and sending them home. Busses would start transporting the children out. All other Jerome School District schools will continue classes. An earlier message said law enforcement had been notified and would have an increased presence at the school throughout the day. A parent told News Radio KLIX that their children had seen the threat circulating on social media. This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

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