HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — An alleged threat made on social media led Harvest Christian Academy to cancel classes Thursday.
The Guam Police Department stated Thursday morning that officers from the Central Precinct were investigating a terroristic conduct complaint at the school. As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, classes and school-related activities were canceled for the day as officers were on scene, Harvest officials said.
After that announcement, the executive pastor for Harvest Ministries, Jared Baldwin, explained to The Guam Daily Post that the school’s closure and police response stemmed from an alleged threat made on social media.
“We were made aware from school parents that one post was made on a social media channel that’s not an official Harvest channel. … Someone made a comment that was a threat and somehow that got to a parent and another parent and by early this morning we were made aware of it,” Baldwin said.
Immediately after learning of the threat, Baldwin said, the school followed protocol and contacted GPD, which initially advised having a late start for classes, before police advised canceling classes for the whole day.
As GPD officers responded and made their way to campus, Baldwin explained that most students and parents had already gotten the message and students who were on campus when the decision was made to cancel classes were able to be picked up safely.
“We were able to get the message out, … 95% of students weren’t even on campus. The few that were kind of en route or within a mile or two as they pulled up, and they saw that we had faculty and staff there to greet them and explain, and they saw GPD’s presence. We had a very small handful of students that were on campus. … They were all secured and as parents came we escorted them to their cars,” Baldwin said.
The Guam Daily Post was able to learn that the alleged post was made on an Instagram account called “HCA Confessions,” where an anonymous post was made that an individual was going to bring a gun to the school. The Post was unable to view or confirm the message as of press time.
Reaction
Baldwin said an incident like the one Thursday, in his experience, “has never happened here before.”
However, he added that the faculty and staff of the Toto school were prepared and responded well.
“It was actually very calm. There was no panic. Everyone knew where to go, what to do because we worked really hard on having clear communication and that’s even more critical during times that could lead to chaos,” Baldwin said, expressing appreciation for GPD’s assistance.
Regarding the students and parents, Baldwin said he felt everyone was understanding of the situation.
“I think every single one was understanding. They understood that you really didn’t have a choice for the safety of the kids,” Baldwin said.
Shooting
The incident is the second time this month that GPD was called to Harvest Christian Academy, with the first being a suicide reported on the school’s soccer field on Nov. 15. The school was placed on lockdown for the safety of students and staff as a result. A woman was later found to have been shot by a man in Toto, and it was the suspect in that case who was found dead at the school’s soccer field.
In light of being involved in two cases where law enforcement presence was required, Baldwin called it a “sobering experience.”
“To have two incidents on or around our campus, a threat and an actual incident, … they’re sobering. … It makes us take our responsibility as leaders very seriously. (It) makes us realize that being entrusted with the safety and health of children is one of the highest responsibilities, and we want to take it very seriously,” said Baldwin, who explained that training had been conducted since the first incident.
“We are constantly doing continuous improvement in this area. … We want to hope we never have to use it, but we want to be really, really effective when a situation comes up like this,” Baldwin added.
School incidents
Since the start of the year, several schools, public and private, have had to respond to alleged threats which also prompted a closure and police response.
Last month, GPD responded to threats made on social media to George Washington High School and Tiyan High School.
According to Post files, a 15-year-old female student and 17-year-old male student from George Washington High School and a 15-year-old male student from Tiyan High School were taken into custody.
Additionally, in late March and April, police responded to three separate threats made to St. Anthony Catholic School in Tamuning in the span of several weeks. One of the threats was made via social media, according to the FBI, which also was involved in the response, Post files state.
The incidents at St. Anthony led to lockdowns and shelter-in-place protocols being established and classes being canceled.
In February, a 14-year-old male student of Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School was taken into custody after allegedly making a threat on social media. The discovery of the post led to classes being canceled.
Harvest Ministries closed its Harvest Christian Academy campus Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Barrigada after a report of terroristic conduct.
