MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office established a new messaging system to provide the community with specific details about incidents happening in the county.
All residents have to do is call 1-800-539-3619 to get answers.
This comes after three consecutive days of threatening phone calls targeting Martin County High School.
Those who called the number on Wednesday heard an automated message that said, "This is the Martin County Sheriff's Office school alert line with an update on a series of calls and threats targeted at Martin County High School."
"We're trying to be transparent," Deputy Chief John Budensiek of the Martin County Sherrif's Office said. "We're trying to let parents know what's going on so they can make an educated decision as a family, what to do with their child."
Budensiek went on to say that schools in neighboring counties received similar calls over the last several days. He believes this was likely not a viable threat.
Jennifer DeShazo, the director of public information and community relations for the Martin County School District, described the threatening phone calls as "a very vague threat" but not specific.
"At one point they were saying they were going to shoot up the school," DeShazo said. "Another threat was similar in nature and included some profanity."
The Martin County Sheriff's Office has increased security on the Martin County High School campus while they try to find the person responsible. In the meantime, the messaging system has been updated with new information.
The Martin County School District is also asking parents to talk to their children about the consequences of making a school threat.
"It's no joke, and there are very serious disciplinary and legal consequences associated with this," DeShazo said.
