Several dozen Indiana schools received threats overnight "threatening the use of explosive devices that had allegedly been planted on various school campuses," sparking a police investigation and changes for some schools Friday, according to authorities.
Indiana State Police said it was made aware of an email message early Friday morning and "immediately allocated all intelligence resources to investigate the validity of the threat."
"At this time no suspicious or explosive devices have been found in any of our schools," the department said in a statement. "The investigation into the origin of this threat is ongoing."
Districts across the state issued alerts surrounding the threats, with some switching to e-learning for the day and others announcing a heightened police presence.
Noblesville Schools said its district was among those impacted by the threats, which were sent to approximately 40 districts in the state.
"We have called eLearning to investigate and ensure safety of schools," the district tweeted Friday. "Some may not be prepared for eLearning and we encourage flexibility."
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Several other districts, including Middlebury Community Schools, Northwest Allen County Schools and more also announced plans to switch to e-learning.
Meanwhile, Center Grove Schools in Greenwood, Indiana, canceled classes for the day following the threat.
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Indianapolis Public Schools said while it did not receive a threat and classes will remain as scheduled, it has been in contact with police and is "monitoring the situation."
"Indianapolis Public Schools has emergency preparedness plans in place with protocols related to these types of matters that we will follow in the event of a threat," the district said.
State police said schools across the state are working with local law enforcement "to make the best decision about their operations."
"The safety of our children will always be a top priority, the Indiana State Police will continue to offer any and all resources we have to schools to ensure safety for our students," Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said in a statement.
The incident follows a number of "prank" school shooting calls made to districts across Illinois Wednesday.
According to Illinois State Police, authorities in at least 19 communities across the state received "threats directed towards schools."
"Responders have not located any actual threats as a result of these calls," ISP said in a statement. "The Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center currently has no information concerning credible threats related to school safety. Law enforcement, public safety, and private sector security officials are encouraged to remain vigilant and report all suspicious behavior to local police agencies."
