Multiple school districts across Georgia have reported receiving school threats since the September 4 mass shooting in Winder. According to sources, statewide, at least nine people have been charged with making threats — even those whose threats were deemed to be hoaxes.
The FBI issued a statement Friday urging the public to stop reposting online threats because they “can cause undue panic and spread false information.” The Bureau says safety hotlines and law enforcement often see increased reporting following a mass shooting because students and the public are more inclined to report suspicious activity or concerns.
“To date, the majority of investigations into threats posted online since the Apalachee High School shooting have been deemed non-credible,” the FBI says. “If you see or hear a threat, report it to local law enforcement immediately. Notify authorities but don’t share or forward the threat until law enforcement has had a chance to investigate.”
Area schools impacted
In Northeast Georgia, law enforcement and school administrators have responded to these seeming copycat threats in different ways, such as canceling classes, implementing soft lockdowns, or conducting investigations.
Franklin County canceled Friday’s classes out of an “abundance of caution” after school threats started to spread online.
The Franklin County School System posted a notice to Facebook stating, “We are working closely with local law enforcement and the GBI regarding this situation.”
Here’s a look at how other school systems in the region have been impacted:
Banks County
Banks County School Superintendent Dr. Ann Hopkins says, “We have had no credible threats, but every tip, every picture, every statement has been passed to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, and they have been on top of it all.”
Clarke County
A 12-year-old Athens boy has been charged with making terroristic threats against local schools. Police said the threats were made on social media and included images of guns and the names of schools in Clarke County.
Habersham County
Habersham County School Police Chief Murray Kogod tells Now Habersham there have been “no viable threats” received against Habersham County schools.
“We’ve received images of threats against another school system from social media posts forwarded to us, and we have passed those along to the GBI and local authorities related to those school districts,” Kogod says.
Hall County
Law enforcement arrested at least three Hall County youths for threatening schools. The teens were all arrested and charged separately. They include a 14-year-old student Gainesville police charged with making terroristic threats and disrupting the operation of a public school. Deputies also arrested a 17 and 13-year-old who allegedly targeted Hall County Schools. Investigators determined those threats to be hoaxes.
Jackson County
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office released a statement reporting a 15-year-old male student made threats against a school on a bus from one school to another in Jackson County. The student allegedly said he was planning to ‘finish the job’ after the Apalachee incident.
He was charged and detained at the Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC) in Gainesville.
Oconee County
On its Facebook page, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office addressed the fact that deputies detained two students who they said made potential threats of violence toward area schools. The sheriff’s office confirmed that, after interviewing the middle school students, there was no danger.
“We want to reassure the community that there is no active threat to the school’s students or staff,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.
Stephens County
Superintendent Connie Franklin of the Stephens County School system said, “We have been working very closely with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security. No threats have been reported against Stephens County Schools. We continue to have an increased presence of law enforcement.”
