Four Deventer secondary schools send kids home after threatened school shooting

Four secondary schools in Deventer sent their students home on Tuesday morning after a threat of a mass shooting at the VMBO De Marke. In consultation with the police and municipality, the Etty Hillesum Lyceum decided to cancel morning lessons at all four schools it covers, including De Marke, De Stentor reports.

A screenshot of the threat is circulating in messaging groups, according to the newspaper. The message writer says that they will commit a shooting at Marke Noord (where students of the upper grades are) and possibly also Marke Zuid (where the lower grades are taught) today or tomorrow. “I will kill without mercy,’ the message reads. They said they planned the attack months ago, would spare no one, and that their motives would never be guessed.

On Tuesday morning, the four secondary schools under Etty Hillesum Lyceum—De Marke Noord and Zuid, Het Corberic, and Arkelstein—informed parents that the first three morning classes were canceled and kids were being sent home. Students can’t enter the schools until at least 10:15 a.m. when the schools hope to have more information.

According to Mark Brijen, director of the Etty Hillesum Lyceum, there is no reason to believe that the threat is real, but the schools and authorities decided to rather play it safe. “As soon as we have more information, we will share it with you.”

A police spokesperson confirmed to De Stentor that they were investigating the threat. “The police cannot say more at this time.”