Stone Hill Elementary School Threatened, Police will be Present on Thursday

Stone Hill Elementary School in Cranston received an unspecified threat on Wednesday and a police presence will be at the school on Thursday, school officials said, though they do not believe the threat is credible.

Parents were notified of the threat this afternoon by an automated telephone call sent by the district.

“We will follow our usual safety procedures to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff,” the message stated.

The school district is working with the state and local police departments and no specifics about the threat will be released because it’s a criminal investigation, said Cranston Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Ray Votto.

The threat follows an uneasy period for area parents. Last month, the Johnston Police Department received a threatening letter that warned of impending violence to children at schools in Cranston, Johnston and Warwick.

About two weeks after the first threat, a 38-year-old Mississippi man was arrested outside Johnston High School and police found a gun in his car. Though he apparently is not connected to the earlier threats, police said, the incident brought lumps to the throats of parents yet again.

Police have stepped up patrols near schools and assigned officers to each school immediately following the threats last month.