Boy, 17, arrested after schools receive emails making violent threats to pupils (2025)

A teenager has been arrested after emails threatening to use a gun to ’cause harm’ were sent to schools in Sheffield and a nursery in London.

The email was sent to nine Sheffield schools this morning, which said a man with a gun was willing to ’cause harm’ in the schools.

St Mary’s School in Walthamstow also received an email referring to ‘acts of violence’. The primary school and nursery closed their doors to pupils.

Police said the threats are not being considered genuine.

A boy, 17, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications and remained in custody, South Yorkshire Police said.

The force said: ‘Our investigation remains ongoing and neighbourhood policing patrols are taking place today at the locations mentioned in the email as a further precaution, and to provide reassurance to residents.’

The Met Police has confirmed that the email threats sent are believed to be linked to threats made to schools in the Sheffield area.

In an email sent to parents seen by The London Standard, St Mary’s said it received an email referring to ‘committing acts of violence to those on our premises’ along with several other schools.

‘At this stage, they have classed the threat as credible. Therefore, we have currently closed the nursery this morning and we will provide further updates as we receive them,’ school officials said.

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy wrote on X: ‘Walthamstow, I know that parents are sharing the understandably concerning email about St Mary’s school they have received this morning.

‘I am in touch with the police and want to give this update at present to help clarify what is happening and what is not.

‘I can confirm that the school has received a threat that is being taken seriously. This threat has also been received by other schools outside London. This is the only school in Walthamstow to receive this and the police are on the site to actively investigate.

‘For those parents organising childcare, it is reasonable to assume that the school nursery will be closed for at least this morning whilst investigations take place. I recognise this is shocking – for someone to threaten a school- and as soon as I have further information, I will share.’

She said no other schools outside South Yorkshire had been impacted except St Mary’s.

‘Again, I know this is a shocking incident that anyone would threaten a primary school, so I am monitoring the situation closely,’ she added.

The school has been contacted for comment.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: London’s ‘stink pipes’ are the bizarre structures hiding right under your nose

MORE: We added almost £1,000,000 to the value of our home — but we’d never do it again

MORE: Murder probe launches after death of woman in her 40s in London