Rumor of Planned Shooting at Stratford High Just a Rumor

It was a smooth school day at Stratford High yesterday, in spite of rumors circulating this week that a gun-toting man student had planned to seek retribution in a violent visit to the campus Thursday.

Alerted Wednesday morning to the rumors circulating among students, Goose Creek Police soon learned the man didn't exist.

School and district officials contacted Goose Creek police about rumors that a man was rumored to be coming to the school Thursday with a gun. The man was supposedly seeking retribution for a sibling — a student who'd been charged with 3rd degree assault and disturbing school earlier in the week.   

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The rumor was first reported to administrators by two students who didn't want to be identified. Two other students would go on to tell police they overheard the shooting was expected to happen at the school Thursday. 

The story had spread through the halls of the school, with a parent contacting police when her daughter alerted her to the rumor. Another student told investigators he'd heard the story from a Goose Creek High student and the city's recreation center. 

In the process of the investigation, officers found that the student charged in the fight earlier in the week — the one whose brother was allegedly coming to seek retribution — does have two brothers. But both boys are younger than 10.

Regardless, police provided additional resources at the school as a precaution, but district representatives told Patch Thursday afternoon that the day came and went without incident.