AUBURN — A threatening social media message written by a former Edward Little High School student set off an overnight investigation by the Auburn police. After interviewing the individual early Friday morning, police determined the threat was not credible.

Auburn schools will be open Friday. The decision was made in consultation with law enforcement, Superintendent Cornelia Brown said.

According to a statement by Auburn Police Chief Jason Moen, the former student, who now lives in Sabattus, sent a friend a Snapchat message which pictured himself superimposed with guns. The message, which referenced violence, quickly went viral among students and staff, Moen said.

Snapchat is a cellphone application which allows users to send images of themselves with a brief caption.

Brown said the guns may have been Nerf guns, a type of toy.

Last night, Brown sent a short message to the school community addressing a wave of TikTok threats which have school across the country bolstering their police presence Friday. Law enforcement agencies have said they do not believe the threats, most of which did not name specific schools, were credible. The Snapchat message was sent shortly after.

Auburn Police officers interviewed the former student Friday morning at 2 a.m. and determined that he was not a threat to the Auburn school community, according to Moen’s statement. The District Attorney’s Office will consider criminal charges, he said.

The TikTok threat “has been deemed not credible, and it is regrettable that a social media platform is not more responsible for what it allows to be posted,” Brown said. “It seems to me that there ought to be some sort of ethical lenses these social media platforms, or standards, they need to be held to. Putting aside the obvious and very real concern to people, it’s a significant disruption in the kids’ lives.”

Brown said her daughter, who attends Cony High School in Augusta, will attend school Friday, and she believe it is safe for school to be in session.

Lewiston schools will be closed Friday due to an unrelated threat. While a social media threat from a student following an altercation at Lewiston Middle School was addressed by Lewiston police, school officials and city police decided to close all schools in the district as a precaution.

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