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Social media threats to North Carolina schools prompt many officials to be on high alert.
“Threats of copy hoaxes” in the Wake County public school system led to the lockdown of several schools on Wednesday afternoon.
“This viral response is typical of college students after the media reported a threat,” said Lisa Luten, spokesperson for WCPSS.
There will be additional security in place at East Wake High School on Wednesday after recent social media threats raised concerns and lockdowns.
At least five schools in the area, including Heritage High School in Wake Forest and EE Smith High School in Fayetteville, have received threats in recent days, but in any case, none of the threats have been found to be credible.
The threats released Wednesday afternoon prompted a brief shutdown of Smithfield-Selma High School and College, officials said.
Parents of students rushed to school to catch their children on Wednesday afternoon before the end of the school day, a video shows.
Local law enforcement officials were called in to investigate threats against the two schools. All students and staff and both schools were safe and the threat was deemed not to be credible.
“Johnston County Public Schools take these matters very seriously and we are thoroughly investigating every report and rumor,” school officials said Wednesday. “We emphasize that parents and guardians talk with their students about the consequences of making these types of statements, whether they are talking with other students or making comments on social media.”
Anyone found responsible for making a threat could face criminal charges.
Southeastern news organizations report that schools are receiving similar threats on social media. In Florida, a student was arrested for threatening to shoot at South Broward High School in Florida. Schools in Broward County, located near Hollywood, Florida, were the victims of a mass shooting in 2018 in which 17 people died.
A teenager was taken into custody Monday morning after a school shooting in Newport News, Virginia. Virginia school officials say it’s “not uncommon” for there to be an increase in threats on social media after a school shooting.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said the person posting the threat could be charged with “threat of massive violence on school grounds. This is a Class H felony.” This charge is the same whether the culprit is an adult or under the age of 18. A Class H felony can mean a prison sentence of four to 25 months.
An 18-year-old was charged earlier this week after threats were leveled at several schools in Guilford County. be ready.”
Students missed an hour of class and at one point waited in locked classrooms while MPs searched the school.
Celia Lorenzana, a mother of ninth and tenth graders, said her daughter told her they were waiting locked in the classroom with the lights off. So far, no one has been named a suspect.
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