St. John the Apostle Catholic School cancels classes two days in a row due to threats

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — St. John the Apostle Catholic School cancelled classes two days in a row due to threats of violence.

The school initially closed on Thursday after receiving a threatening email.

In a letter, Superintendent of Catholic Schools Diocese of Richmond, Michael Riley told families the threat originated from someone outside of Virginia Beach who has no affiliation with the school.

Riley also stated the threat was sent in response to news coverage the individual saw related to the school’s recent disciplinary decision.

Earlier this week, WAVY and other media outlets reported about the schools decision to suspend an 11-year-old boy who alerted his principal about another student brought a bullet to class.

Additionally, Riley informed school families that the school has temporarily hired a private security firm staffed with retired law enforcement.

“When we resume normal school activities next week, as an added measure of caution, we will have an increased security presence on site to ensure a smooth and safe return,” wrote Riley.