900 Students Skipped School After Twitter Threats

Four Orlando-area schools were named
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 19, 2016 9:47 AM CDT
900 Students Skipped School After Twitter Threats
Orlando Police Chief John Mina speaks following the Pulse nightclub shooting.   (AP Photo/John Raoux)

More than 900 students were absent from Orlando-area schools on Thursday after authorities say a man on Twitter threatened to shoot students and put pipe bombs inside campuses, per the AP. There were reportedly 379 absences at Orange's Liberty Middle School, 357 at Orlando's Boone High School, 174 at Orlando's Edgewater High School, and an undisclosed number at Orlando's Colonial High School. The FBI said Wednesday it was looking into the threats, but didn't think they were credible.

Authorities are searching for a 23-year-old transient named Jesus Henry Kong (aka Jessie Eloah Calix and Jesus Matute) they say is responsible. "Although the FBI does not believe that the threat is credible, as the subject does not reside in Florida, we will continue to work with local partners to locate the subject," said an FBI special agent on Wednesday, per the Orlando Sentinel. Kong has lived in Florida, California, Virginia, and Maryland. (More Florida stories.)

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