Threat written on bathroom stall at Palmyra Middle School deemed ‘non-credible’ after police search

PALMYRA, Mo. — Officers with the Palmyra Police Department found nothing out of the ordinary when searching Palmyra Middle School on Wednesday after finding a threat written on a bathroom stall.

Kristen Rathbone, an officer with the Palmyra Police Department and the school resource officer for the Palmyra School District, said in a written statement she learned of a “disturbing statement” that was written on the wall of the restroom in the middle school. 

“An immediate investigation began, which involved me and the administrative staff,” she wrote. “I assisted in checking security footage to narrow down the suspect list. While administrators were questioning all students who could have possibly been involved, another officer of the Palmyra Police Department and I searched the building to look for anything of a suspicious nature or anything out of place.

“We searched the entirety of the interior and exterior of the building but found nothing. Both the administration and I trusted this to be a non-viable threat, and it was safe to continue with school as normal.”

Palmyra Superintendent Jason Harper said in a press release that law enforcement worked with the administration and determined the threat to be “non-credible.” He said the school was safe and that school would be in session Thursday.

Rathbone said she requested for other on-duty officers to be present at the elementary school and high school on Thursday morning. She and a trooper from the Missouri State Highway Patrol monitored the middle school. 

“Foot patrols of all schools were conducted throughout the day by not only me but other officers on duty,” Rathbone wrote.