Federal and local law enforcement authorities said Tuesday that an online video circulating on social media and containing threats against schools and other public spaces is not credible.
According to a statement from the Fort Worth Police Department, its investigators dismissed the video of a masked man holding a gun while standing in front of a Nazi flag as a hoax designed to gin up terror inside the country.
“The video is believed to have originated outside of the U.S. with the sole purpose of inciting fear,” the statement said.
Police said a similar message was received earlier Tuesday by a neighboring police department, although they did not release the name of the department.
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Police said they were made aware of the situation at about 7:30 a.m.
The video posted by FortWorth Texas TV on its Instagram account said it was sent by an anonymous source. The group is called “ENDTEX.”
In the video, a masked individual with a gun in his hand said they would try to kill as many people as possible.
“The FBI is aware of the online threats directed to various schools in the North Texas area,” the FBI Dallas office said in a statement. “The FBI takes these threats seriously.”
The agency said they are working with the local and federal law enforcement partners to gather and share more information on the threat and act upon it.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement immediately,” the statement said.
Fort Worth police said their intelligence exchange unit collaborated with local, state and national partners to assess the credibility of the threat.
Authorities said they are working to identify who created the video.
Police said they are “monitoring and evaluating public spaces and schools throughout the city.”
“An immediate safety plan has been implemented within the department,” the release said. “The Fort Worth Police Department remains fully engaged and is utilizing all available resources to ensure public safety.”
Dallas police issued a statement Tuesday evening saying they are aware of multiple swatting-style calls that have been received.
“At this time, no credible threats have been identified,” the statement said.
Dallas police said they are anticipating additional calls of a similar nature. It is unclear if the calls are connected to the threat in Fort Worth, however.
The Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to an email request from The Dallas Morning News for a comment.