Not the emergency I had in mind

I saw something on my SiteMeter today that made me pause.

Now what brought that on?, I wondered.

On the way home I found out that there had been an incident - or at least a suspicion of an incident - at Nanticoke's high school today. The information I was getting was third- or fourth-hand, but the story I heard involved Crips and Bloods, who apparently sit at different tables in the cafeteria, and a threat of a Columbine-style incident. Is any aspect of that story believable? I would not be surprised to learn that we have Crips and Bloods in our high school. A threat of a shooting? Easily believable.

What is a known fact, though, is that there was a heavy police presence at the school today, and they wanded each student who entered the school - less than a full load of students, because many kids chose to stay home today.

Here's what the Citizen's Voice had to say:

Update: Police patrolling at Nanticoke High School 1:35 p.m.
By: Denise Allabaugh , Staff Writer

NANTICOKE - Several police departments, state police and an FBI gang task force arrived at Greater Nanticoke High School early Wednesday after a rumor spread that "something" was going to happen, said Superintendent Anthony Perrone and Nanticoke Detective William Shultz.

"This started last week as a fight between a boy and a girl and that's what caused the whole incident. For the last two days, they have been bickering back and forth. They called each other derogatory racial names," Perrone said. "There was no riot. Nobody brought a gun. Nobody brought anything. There is no lock-down in any of the schools."

Officials said the threats and bickering spread beyond the original combatants to other students at the school.

Nanticoke, Newport Township, Hanover Township, the Luzerne County Sheriff's office and state police came to the school as a precaution, Perrone said.

Several students did not attend school or left early Wednesday. Perrone could not say how many students were absent.

"There was a rumor that went around and they were afraid," Perrone said. "I got calls from parents all night last night. When they call me, I tried to explain to them exactly what happened. You're never sure so you take the proper precautions so that no one gets hurt. There were such rumors that it was unbelievable."

Check back to The Citizens' Voice for more updates.

The Times-Leader also has an article. I didn't see anything on the WNEP site, or on the website run by WBRE/WYOU.

Nothing happened. Not today, at least.