Police look into possible threat

The Greenwood Village Police Department is investigating a possible threat made against Cherry Creek High School after someone sent a social media message threatening to “shoot up the school,” the agency announced Thursday.

The high school, nearby Campus Middle School and Belleview Elementary School were placed on a “secure perimeter” by school officials, meaning all students and staff members were inside with all exterior doors closed and locked while “normal activity continues inside the building,” according to a news release.

The secure perimeter has since been lifted, and police decided it was safe to let Cherry Creek High students go home.

Students at Campus Middle School and Belleview Elementary were dismissed at their normal times, according to the Cherry Creek School District.

The social media message, which was sent by an unknown person, was sent to someone who lives outside of Colorado, the release said. The investigation is at least the third to occur at a Colorado school this week. Schools have beefed up security since the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school this week in which at least 19 students and two teachers died.

Northfield High School in Denver was placed on lockdown earlier Thursday after a report of a student with a weapon.

Denver police recovered a paintball gun at the school and have taken two suspects into custody.

In Boulder, a 14-year-old was arrested after making threats against schools in Boulder this week, including “threats of a school shooting” at Casey Middle School.