A boy arrested on suspicion of gross unlawful threat in Borlänge has been fully cleared. Prosecutor Joel Henning is dropping the investigation, stating the threat stemmed from misinterpretations and rumor spreading. Over 20 schools closed on Wednesday as a precaution.
On Wednesday, April 22, over 20 schools in Borlänge closed following reports of a potential threat to the school environment. The municipality described the measure as a precaution with a good margin. The information, spread among students and reaching the municipality, prompted police to open an investigation into gross unlawful threat.
A teenager was detained on reasonable suspicion of the crime, but on Friday, prosecutor Joel Henning announced the boy has been released and the pretrial investigation is being dropped. "It is assessed that the information was based on misinterpretations and incorrect rumor spreading," Henning states in a release. He notes there is no evidence the boy made or wrote any threat.
Municipality director Jörgen Olsson expressed relief at the news. "Our starting point has always been to safeguard the safety of students and staff," he writes in a press release. The municipality stands by the closure as a responsible decision given the available information.
The incident will be internally investigated by the municipality, with support provided to those affected. Separately, Kunskapsskolan received a threat email that police traced, and the school reopened on Friday.
