XBox Live Threats Make Police Increase School Presence

LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL — Huntley 158 schools are seeing an increase police presence Friday amid an investigation into threats made against students at Marlowe Middle School, according to reports.

Huntley police are investigating what was originally described as "racially motivated" threats, but then was broadened to the general student population at Marlowe, according to NBC Chicago.

The threats, sent over XBox Live, were "disparaging racial and threatening comments," NBC reported, and police executed a search warrant as a part of the investigation.

The Huntley Community School District 158 is working with Huntley and Lake in the Hills police because there is possible involvement of students of area schools.

“The intention of the threat does not matter,” said John Burkley, superintendent of District 158, wrote in a letter to parents. “We will work with law enforcement to leverage every available tool to find the individual responsible and hold them to account.”

The increased police presence at schools comes "out of an abundance of caution," he wrote, citing they have taken similar measures in the past when threats have come to light.

“The intention of the threat does not matter,” he wrote. “We will work with law enforcement to leverage every available tool to find the individual responsible and hold them to account.”

Police have not filed any charges yet as part of their investigation into the threats, but have seized various items that have been "helpful," they said according to NBC. Two search warrants were granted, but police have not released information on the warrants or on the items they seized.

While they haven't filed any charges, police say they have "tentatively identified" the location from which the messages were sent, and have found persons of interest.

XBox says its code of conduct prohibits such threats, and users can report them here.

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