UPDATE: Middle Georgia schools, law enforcement respond to social media threats; several arrests made
Law enforcement and school officials across Middle Georgia are ramping up security measures in response to social media threats following last week's deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.
UPDATE (9/10 – 4:50 p.m.) – The Bibb County School District identified the two people arrested on Sunday as a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old. Both were charged with possession of a firearm by a minor.
District spokesperson Stephanie Hartley says the 13-year-old is still in custody at the Regional Youth Detention Center. The 17-year-old has been released from the Bibb County Jail.
UPDATE (9/9- 10:30 p.m.) – Telfair County Sheriff Sim Davidson says the person responsible for making the threatening post has been taken into law enforcement custody.
UPDATE (9/9 – 10:25 p.m.) – All Telfair County School District schools will be closed on Tuesday due to an ongoing threat investigation.
The Telfair County Sheriff’s Office says it has partnered with several local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate a threat about a shooting at the Telfair County High School that was made in a TikTok video.
“We are currently interviewing potential witnesses in an effort to identify the author of the video,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a post on Facebook Monday night. “We will increase our presence at the schools in the coming days to help ensure the safety of your children. If anyone has information concerning this threat, please contact our 911 center so that any leads can be investigated.”
UPDATE (9/9 – 4:20 p.m.): Multiple arrests were made Sunday in connection with threats made against the Bibb County School District, according to Bibb County School District Campus Police Chief Curtis Adams.
In a Facebook live video on Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims’ page, Adams said multiple people were arrested at a home “after threats were made against our schools and our children.”
“Once we were able to identify who the person was, or at least who we thought it was, we were able to go to that person’s home—not the [Bibb County] Sheriff’s Office—us, the officers,” Adams said. “Me as the chief and my supervisors. Actually, they left church because of the safety of our kids, because of how much they care about these children. We got together. We put together a plan, a strategic plan, and we were able to go to the home and speak to the family, speak to the parents, and find out what was going on.”
Adams said officers also investigated the home.
“Where we did discover some other things, and some weapons, and some people were arrested and taken to jail because of this incident,” he said. “When we have credible information, we’re going to investigate it and we’re going out to try to fix this, because it is imperative for us to make sure that our children are able to come to school the next day and learn and feel safe, where they can learn in a safe environment. It is important to us that our teachers are able to come to school, our staff, they feel safe that this incident was at least investigated and something was done. And it’s important that you all as parents are able to feel safe that your children are able to come to school.”
“If we’re able to identify any individual, anybody who’s behind a hoax, a threat, anything along those lines, we’re able to identify, they will be addressed to the fullest extent of the law,” Sims said, later adding he understands parents’ decisions to keep their children at home on Monday.
“I want to respect that,” he said. “I do, because I know that you want to feel safe and secure, and I just want to give as many assurances as I can that everything that we can do, we are doing. Everything that we can do we will do to make sure that all of us have a sense of safety.”
We’ve reached out to the Bibb County School District for additional information.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
ORIGINAL STORY (9/9 – 10:24 a.m.):
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Law enforcement and school officials across Middle Georgia are ramping up security measures in response to social media threats following last week’s deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.
In a Facebook post early Monday, Bibb County School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims said the district was aware of “social media postings cautioning a possible threat to Bibb Schools today.”
Sims said the posts were reported to Meta and emergency authorities, including BCSD Campus Police. “Meta removed the original post,” he wrote. “We will continue to investigate and follow all security protocols.”
Sims added that the safety of students and staff continues to be a top priority and asked anyone with information about a specific threat to contact Campus Police at (478) 779-2040.
“Anyone found to be responsible for threats and/or hoaxes will be charged in accordance with the law,” he continued.
Crawford County authorities investigating ‘terroristic threat’
In Crawford County, the Roberta Police Department is investigating a “Terroristic Threat against a Public School System” after a threatening photo circulated on Snapchat.
“Whomever is responsible for this crime will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Georgia Law,” Chief Ty Matthews warned in a Facebook post Sunday night. Matthews also wrote he would speak with the district attorney about charging parents of students found responsible for posting the picture.
Crawford County Schools had an increased police presence and patrols on campus on Monday.
“There will be Police Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies at all Crawford County Schools in the morning and increased patrols of all schools during the day,” Matthews wrote. “Anyone with information leading to an arrest in this investigation please call Crawford County 911.”
Man arrested in Monroe County, student identified in Laurens County threat
On Friday, a 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with “disturbing” threats of violence towards the Monroe County School District, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Christopher Cooper made his first court appearance on Monday, with his bond set at $1 million.
The sheriff’s office, along with the Forsyth Police Department, announced late Thursday an increased law enforcement presence at schools on Friday.
In Laurens County, an East Laurens High School student was “identified and placed under proper supervision” on Friday after making a threat to harm others, according to the Laurens County School District.
