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ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on a video threat connected to Ohio University (all times local):
4:30 p.m.
Police say an anonymous video threatening the safety of "American students" was posted by a social media user in Europe and there is no risk to Ohio University.
Authorities initially believed the threat was posted to a location-based social media app group connected to the university, prompting heightened security on the southeastern Ohio campus and closing six area school districts Friday.
Investigators shared an image from the video that shows a hand holding a gun and the words: "Tomorrow American students will die. Some of u are ok. Don't go to school tomorrow."
Officials said Friday afternoon the threat was posted by someone in Europe not affiliated with any group on the app called Yeti.
Police commended the member of the Ohio University Yeti group who reported the threat.
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10:55 a.m.
Police say an anonymous video threatening the safety of "American students" was posted to a location-based social media app group connected to Ohio University, prompting heightened security on the southeast Ohio campus and closing six area school districts Friday.
Investigators shared an image from the video that shows a hand holding a gun and the words: "Tomorrow American students will die. Some of u are ok. Don't go to school tomorrow."
Officials say it was posted on Yeti through a group that lets users affiliate with the university's main campus in Athens.
The schools says final exams and commencement ceremonies planned Friday and Saturday for thousands of graduates are proceeding as scheduled with extra security and police on hand.
The FBI says it's coordinating with law enforcement evaluating the threat.
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10 a.m.
Police say an anonymous video threatening the safety of "American students" was posted to a location-based social media app group connected to Ohio University, prompting heightened security on the southeast Ohio campus and closing six area school districts.
An alert on the university's website says the threat was posted on the Yeti app through a group that lets users affiliate with the school's main campus in Athens. The university says authorities don't believe there's a threat to its regional campuses.
The university says the last day of final exams and commencement ceremonies planned Friday and Saturday for thousands of graduates will proceed as scheduled with extra security measures and police on hand.
The FBI says it's coordinating with local law enforcement investigating the threat.
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8:15 a.m.
Six southeast Ohio school districts have canceled Friday classes because of an unspecified threat against students that originated in the Athens area.
Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith tells The Athens Messenger (http://bit.ly/1VXuuRE ) his office learned early Friday about a general threat produced around Athens and made toward American students. He says the threat was found around 5 a.m., but he didn't say where or how.
He says local school officials were notified as the validity of the threat is investigated. Smith says the FBI is helping.
The districts that closed are Athens City, Nelsonville-York Local, Federal Hocking, Trimble Local, Alexander Local and Tri-County schools.
In an audio message sent to parents, Athens schools Superintendent Tom Gibbs cited what he described as a "short time frame to respond to the threat."
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