Aerial shot of the St. Croix Educational Complex. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT, V.I. CONSORTIUM.
ST. CROIX — The V.I. Department of Education announced Monday morning that all public schools in the St. Croix District have been closed immediately, as police conduct island-wide searches and security sweeps in response to violent threats circulated on multiple platforms.
The threat, which was widely shared across social media, explicitly targeted multiple schools and carried racial overtones. The message read:
“Cody Conrad, and I'm going to bomb the fuck out of fucking complex. I'm going to bomb Central, I'm going to bomb Woodson. I'm going to bomb all the fucking VI schools that are black, that has black folks in it. I don't like you blacks. And I'm going to bomb the fucking school you.”
VIDE said the decision to close all St. Croix schools was made out of an abundance of caution and to protect students, faculty, and staff. Initially, closures were limited to St. Croix Central High School, St. Croix Educational Complex High School, and St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center. However, as concerns grew, officials expanded the closures to cover the entire district.
The V.I. Police Department, working alongside federal partners, has launched a full investigation and is conducting sweeps of every public school campus in the district, VIDE said. School buses were dispatched early Monday to pick up students who use public transportation, and all schools are being dismissed immediately.
VIDE also reported that a significant number of school monitors had called in sick, leaving campuses severely understaffed and further complicating security measures. The absence of monitors, combined with the ongoing threat, made it unsafe to keep schools open.
Although no active threats have been made against St. Thomas–St. John District schools, VIPD confirmed that precautionary searches and security sweeps will also be carried out on those campuses. Schools there remain open, but law enforcement said the measures are part of a proactive approach to ensure safety across the territory.
“The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priority,” VIDE said in its statement. The department pledged continued coordination with law enforcement and promised timely updates through its official communication channels.
The VIPD also reminded the public that making threats of violence is a serious crime under Virgin Islands law, carrying legal consequences for anyone found responsible.
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