‘A lot of panic’: Communities on high alert after multiple school threats

CHARLOTTE — Students, parents, school leaders and police are all on high alert after an increase in school threats.

In the past few days, Channel 9 has tracked school threats in multiple districts.

School leaders and police are taking each alert seriously, which puts a strain on valuable resources already spread thin.

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An anonymous tip led Charlotte-Mecklenburg police to Piedmont middle and high schools Wednesday evening. A threat was made that someone was coming back to school to start shooting people.

Union County deputies tracked down a 13-year-old middle school student who made the threat.

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“(There was) a lot of panic, confusion and fear that was spread through the community on a needless basis,” said Lt. James Maye. “It was just reckless activity on this student’s part.”

The student who made the threat is facing a felony charge of making a false report.

There have been two more threats at other Union County public high schools since then.

In response, district officials sent parents a recorded message Thursday night stating that more students are making and spreading threats on social media.

“When this happens, it creates chaos, interrupts instructional time, generates rumors in the community and takes away resources from important school and community matters,” the message stated.

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Channel 9 has been told about a handful of other threats this week in other districts.

“Earlier this evening we were made aware of a possible threat to our school,” officials from Northwest Cabarrus Middle School said Thursday night. “We are investigating and will share more information with you tomorrow.”

Parents got the follow-up message Friday morning saying the threat wasn’t real.

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