A 16-year-old student was arrested Thursday after threatening to “do harm” at a Forsyth County high school, becoming the latest in a slew of recent terroristic threats made against schools throughout the metro Atlanta area.
The teenager at Lambert High School, who was not named, is charged with a felony count of terroristic threats. He is in custody at the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“A crisis and tragedy were potentially averted,” Forsyth Sheriff Ron Freeman told Channel 2 Action News.
Authorities said a school resource officer was made aware of a threatening email that Principal Gary Davison had received, which prompted an investigation. The Forsyth County major crimes unit identified the teen as the person behind the threats and removed him from class.
“While we are unable to share more details with you due to minor/student confidentially laws, please know that the individual did not have access to weapons and will not be returning to our school,” Davison later said in an email to parents. “As always, we encourage students, parents/guardians and staff to ‘see something, say something’ to keep our school and community safe.”
The incident is one of nearly a half-dozen threats of violence that have been made against metro schools in the past week. Numerous districts have worked to reassure parents that the safety of students is their top priority.
“It seems to follow somewhat of a pattern after a highly publicized school shooting,” Freeman said, referencing last week’s deadly shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan.
On Monday, 29-year-old Tyron Williams was arrested after authorities accused him of threatening staff at Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy in Atlanta.
According to police, Williams became upset about phone calls he had received from the elementary school related to his children’s absences. During a conference call with an assistant principal and another school staff member, he said he would blow the school up and that he had “32 bullets waiting for Monday morning,” Atlanta Public Schools said.
On Tuesday, a 15-year-old was arrested on felony charges after threatening to shoot up Loganville High School in Walton County, Channel 2 Action News reported. School administrators called police to remove the student from class after learning about the threat, the news station reported.
Then on Friday, the Johns Creek Police Department boosted patrols around Chattahoochee High School and Autrey Mill Middle School after receiving calls of potential threats on the campuses.
“The Fulton County school police and Fulton School Districts are fully aware and investigating the situations,” the district said in a Facebook post. “In fact, they have sent letters to the parents of each school to make them aware of the incidents and steps they are taking to make certain the students at both schools are safe and protected.”
Police also investigated threats made against Kell High School in Cobb County and determined them to be unfounded, Channel 2 reported. The school district was made aware of a threat circulating on social media and launched an investigation, a spokesperson told the news station. Cobb police and Cobb Schools police were able to debunk the threat.
And in Clayton County, school district officials were investigating a threat made against Mundy’s Mill High School.
“As the safety of all students, staff and visitors to our campuses is a top priority, the school takes appropriate actions and the district will provide additional resources to ensure the safety of all as a precaution,” the school district told Channel 2.
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