This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Two Seattle schools received false bomb threats on Tuesday morning from a caller in New York.
McClure Middle School in Queen Anne and Greenwood Elementary near Green Lake both received similar messages threatening each school’s building, according to The Seattle Times.
Both messages were left on the school’s answering machines at approximately 6:45 p.m. Monday night.
Seattle schools evacuated, cleared by police ahead of school day
Each school’s staff promptly contacted the Seattle Police Department and evacuated the building to ensure there was no ongoing threat, Marni Campbell, assistant superintendent of school operations, told The Seattle Times.
McClure Middle School was evacuated and later determined to be safe by Seattle Police ahead of the start of the school day, McClure principal Ann Jennings wrote to parents.
Law enforcement is currently investigating the calls, while the school district has notified the local FBI agency to take similar action, as the call came from an out-of-state number, according to Campbell. The district has also remained in contact with staff and parents throughout the beginning of the school day.
Campbell noted that bomb threats have been increasingly common in the U.S., with the Seattle district also receiving roughly one to two threats each month.