Following a mass school shooting at Apalachee High School Sept. 4 in Georgia, multiple posts have circulated across the nation on multiple social media platforms, threatening numerous schools across the country and state, according to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office.
In Limestone County, several threats have been investigated during the past week, and those investigations have resulted in the arrest of four individuals, LCSO said.
“There’s a lot of spam going around, with people recirculating posts through social media, that needs to be left alone,” Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin told The News Courier. “It’s creating mass hysteria all the way across the nation. We are asking everybody to quit recirculating these posts and just send them to us so we can do our investigations and get everything back under control.”
McLaughlin noted that most of the online threats currently online are reposted from other states, where arrests have already been made, or are vague and engineered to cause panic for students and their families. He encouraged everyone to send information and screenshots of the threats to info@limestonesheriff.com.
“Most of them are put out there — on Facebook, Snapchat or TikTok — by people who want to cause hysteria throughout the country,” McLaughlin said. “Multiple other states are receiving the same ones as us. Now, not every single one is unsubstantiated. We take every threat we get seriously, and we are working with the FBI and the Alabama Fusion Center to make sure our kids stay safe.”
According to a release from McLaughlin, the first of the four arrests came on Wednesday, Sept. 11, as an unidentified Elkmont High School student directed a threat at other students.
This threat was investigated, and probable cause was found to arrest the student for making a terrorist threat in the 2nd degree, according to McLaughlin.
“We will not tolerate these threats in our community, and when we identify those individuals who make these threats, we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” McLaughlin stated in the release. “Thank you to the students who bravely came forward with valuable information about this threat.
“We are dedicated to taking all school threats seriously and will persist in holding accountable those who jeopardize the safety of our children. It is important to remember that if you notice something concerning, don’t hesitate to speak up.”
The second arrest came later Wednesday, according to another release from McLaughlin and the Limestone County Sheriffs. The FBI discovered a threat made by a Clements High School student toward the school, and notified the sheriff’s office through the Alabama Fusion Center.
Investigators responded to the suspect’s home where probable cause was found to arrest the student for making a terrorist threat in the second degree, according to the release.
“We are grateful to our partners at the FBI and the Alabama Fusion Center for swiftly relaying this threat to us,” McLaughlin stated in the release. “This demonstrates the effectiveness of multiple agencies working together to ensure the safety of our children.”
On Thursday, Sept. 12, a threat was made by a Tanner High School student to the school, according to another release, marking the third arrest for a terrorist threat in the second degree.
Following the third arrest, LCSO strongly encouraged parents to talk to their kids about the seriousness of posting, or reposting, school threats. They also asked parents to check in on their kids’ emotions during the week.
“Parents, please talk to your children about the seriousness of their words and actions,” LCSO put out on a Facebook post. “We know these conversations are challenging, but they must be had.”
The fourth arrest came Thursday at 2:09 p.m. as a tip was submitted to investigators via the information email of a threat made on Snapchat. According to another release from McLaughlin, that threat was directed toward students at Clements High School again.
During the investigation, the suspect was identified and a guardian of the student informed the sheriff’s office that the individual wanted to confess to investigators. According to the release, the student was located at home and taken into custody at 5:25 pm.
“Thank you to those of you who reported this threat to us,” McLaughlin stated in the release. “We will continue to arrest these offenders until each is held accountable for their crimes. If you threaten our children in Limestone County, we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”