UPDATE: Bleckley sheriff says juvenile held after school threat also made church threat

The juvenile remains in state custody. The sheriff’s office says no specific church, date or time was identified in connection with the additional threat.

UPDATE (9/18/26): The juvenile taken into custody Thursday following a reported school shooting threat also expressed plans to carry out an “active event” at a church, according to an update Friday from the Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said no specific church was identified and no date or time was given in connection with the threat.

The juvenile remains in the custody of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. The sheriff’s office said it is continuing to investigate the threats with its federal partners.

ORIGINAL STORY (9/17/26):

COCHRAN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A juvenile was taken into custody Thursday after a reported school shooting threat involving Bleckley County schools.

In a Facebook post, Sheriff Daniel Cape said his office and the FBI’s Macon Resident Agency received information earlier in the day that a juvenile had expressed intentions of carrying out a school shooting.

The sheriff’s office described the threat as “serious and active” and said investigators quickly identified and located the juvenile after receiving information they considered credible.

“We believe the actions taken by law enforcement today prevented a potentially devastating act of violence against our children, educators, and community,” Cape wrote.

In a separate Facebook post Thursday, Bleckley County Middle School said law enforcement notified administrators about threatening comments made by a student. The school said law enforcement investigated, identified the student and took appropriate action.

“At no time were students or staff in danger,” the school’s administration wrote.

Administrators encouraged parents to discuss the seriousness of threats with their children, including possible criminal charges and school disciplinary consequences.

The sheriff’s office did not identify the juvenile, release an age or announce any charges. Its post also did not identify a specific school as the target.

The sheriff’s office and FBI are continuing the investigation.