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AUSTINTOWN -- One of the biggest games of the high-school football season brought a little more attention than some might have hoped for.
Austintown police assigned more officers to the Austintown Fitch vs. Warren Harding game on Friday, citing "unconfirmed" threats allegedly made on social media. A Friday press release states the department is investigating but Lt. Jeff Churilla said he could not provide more information than what was included in the news release.
A social media post by Austintown Local School District said officials are cooperating with police to address the issue, although it provided no additional details.
District Superintendent Tim Kelty did not return a call Friday seeking comment.
One person, a member of the Warren Harding marching band community, said on the school district's post that their children will not be attending the game.
Comments on an Austintown parent's post sharing the district's statement suggested that racially charged comments were directed at a player on one of the teams, although it did not specify which.
Other comments suggested police and the district should be more open about the nature of the threats so that students, families and fans could decide whether or not to attend the game.
Friday was the final Fitch home game, where all of the senior football players were celebrated.
This comes less than three weeks after a 17-year-old Austintown student was arrested on Oct. 5 when he was found with a gun. Another student reported to staff at the Lynn Kirk online school building that he saw the gun. Administrators notified police and after a brief struggle with the student, a loaded 9mm handgun was recovered from his waistband and he was taken to the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center.