Teen arrested and school placed in 'partial lockdown' after pupil receives threatening messages

26 April 2024, 13:23

Ebbw Fawr Learning Community was partially locked down
Ebbw Fawr Learning Community was partially locked down. Picture: Google Maps

By Emma Soteriou

A teenage boy has been arrested and a school placed under "partial lockdown" after a student received threatening messages.

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Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, was placed into lockdown at around 10.20am on Friday, Gwent Police said.

Parents received messages from the school reading: "All students are safe in classrooms and all doors and access points are locked."

"The police have arrived and there is no risk inside the building."

Officers have remained in the area to provide reassurance, the force said.

The arrest did not take place at the school and it was not in the Ebbw Vale area.

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A police statement read: "We have arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of making threats."

It continued: "We carried out a search during the arrest, and no offensive weapons were found. He remains in police custody at this time as our enquiries continue.

"We understand the level of concern from parents in the area today, but I'd like to thank the public and the school for following protocol, remaining calm and relaying any concerns they had to us.

"These actions allowed us to act quickly, make an arrest, safeguard pupils and reassure the community.

"The school is now no longer in lockdown and parents and guardians are collecting their children."

It comes after two teachers and a pupil were injured during a stabbing at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, on Wednesday.

A 13-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with three counts of attempted murder and appeared before Llanelli Magistrates' Court on Friday.

She was remanded to youth detention accommodation.