This marks the fifth time since the beginning of the year that an anonymous threat has been found at the school promising harm to a list of specific freshmen students.

The latest note, found Tuesday afternoon in a girls’ locker room, was “consistent enough to say it’s from the same source,” said DHS Principal John McCarthy.

Police Chief Mark DeLuca said that this note was more of a warning that the previous threats were real and unlike the previous notes was typed rather than handwritten.  The note found Tuesday did include what officials believe is the signature “TWC” after its message.

As in the previous two notes found at DHS, police swept the building for weapons on Tuesday using a detection canine, conducted random metal detector searches of students and increased police presence in the hallways and grounds of the school.  School officials sent home a letter with all Duxbury students and again notified and met with the parents of those listed in the note.

DeLuca reiterated that his department is working to identify the author or authors of the notes, including help from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI and the Secret Service.  Unfortunately, he added, all the evidence has not turned up any answers.

“This is frustrating because of the effect on the schools, the community and our inability to identify the note writer,” said DeLuca.  “Unfortunately, we have exhausted our means in regards to evidence.  What we’ve provided has been limited and what we’ve got, we’ve exhausted.”

On Wednesday, the police department sent letters to residents in their firearms licensing database referencing the situation at the high school and asking them to ensure that their firearms and ammunition are secure.{sidebar id=1}

“This is especially important if you have school age children or if school age children frequent your home,” said the note signed by DeLuca.

As for new methods of discovering who is behind the threats, McCarthy said that the school department is working to implement an anonymous tip line where anyone with information can call and leave information.  McCarthy said the tip line should be ready sometime this week.

Both McCarthy and DeLuca said that while handwriting samples and fingerprints have proven unsuccessful in matching the author of the threats, the solution lies in a person who has information or who may have seen something.

“The key thing for us is getting someone to step forward or we get a lucky break,” said McCarthy.  “Generally, most kids trust their parentsÖmore so than a school official or teacher or police officer, so parents are the ones who can help us break through this code of secrecy among kids.  If we present the tip line, that is a way for someone to give us good information.”

As for fingerprinting students, a strategy some freshman parents suggested during a March meeting with police and school officials, McCarthy has not eliminated that option.

“That’s a challenge to do and, of course, it is voluntary and we’ve toyed around with setting up the process,” he said.  “If we do go that direction, we’ll send home a letter to parents, but otherwise, we are remaining very consistent in how we respond and investigate these threats.”

DeLuca said that fingerprinting students would “absolutely be helpful,” but that it gets into civil liberties and civil rights issues.

“I don’t think [the sheriff’s department] or I would object to the workload,” he said.  “I’d like to see everyone asked to give it and it would be the community’s way of helping us.”

DeLuca added that four or five parents have declined to give their child’s fingerprints requested by his department.

While that option is still being explored, McCarthy said that the school will remain in lockdown mode with one entrance for students and a continued ban on backpacks.  He said that officials were considering reinstating backpacks and even opening another door at the rear of the school before Tuesday’s discovery, but that will have to wait.

McCarthy said that the more letters on the threats the school department sends home, the higher the anxiety and frustration level of parents.

One parent who can attest to this spoke with the Clipper last week.  With her daughter as one of the students listed as a target in the notes, she wished to remain anonymous.

“I have gone through a whole range of emotions,” said the parent.  “After the first note, I wanted this kid found and executed.  After the second, I thought this person needs help.  After the third, I wanted the person strung up in Hall’s Corner and humiliated and now after the fourth and the fifth, I don’t know what to think.”

The parent of a female freshman said that she read the latest note and said that it seemed to be from someone who knew who was involved in writing the notes and was involved themselves, but feared for their own life if they ratted out friends.

“If this person wanted to help, they should have named the ëfriends’ they talked about who are doing this,” said the parent.  “It also makes me wonder, however, if this is another angle to throw off the police, who must be frustrated.”

The parent said that while she agrees with all of the strategies by police and school officials following the discovery of the notes, she does not think the author will be caught any time soon.

“I don’t think there will be a break in this case,” she said.  “It will probably end and then start up again next school year.”

The parent said she thinks that the notes are a prank by someone, but is still very cautious about her child’s safety.

“I think this is somebody crying out for attention and they think it is a joke, but I keep a close watch on where my daughter is and I’d feel the same if she was not on the list; these are our kids,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to e-mail School Resource Officer Friend Weiler at f_weiler@duxbury.k12.ma.us, call the Duxbury Police Department at 781-934-5656 or Duxbury High School at 781-934-7650.  There is also a $2,000 reward still in place for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of an author or authors.