While nothing has materialized into actual violence, the flurry of statewide arrests continues following the trend of threats being made to public schools across the state.
Law enforcement continues to investigate the nearly innumerable threats, usually made via social media, that have placed police, school officials, students, and parents on edge in recent weeks.
SEE: Over a dozen juveniles arrested in ongoing trend of making online threats against schools
On Wednesday, Albertville City Schools (ACS) announced that an 18-year-old student had been arrested for social media threats after the entire system went on high alert due to threats last week.
"Today, Wednesday, Sept. 18, a juvenile student was arrested at Albertville High School for making a threat of violence against AHS [Albertville High School] via social media," the city school system said in a statement. "We want to assure you that both the school and district administrators acted promptly to investigate the situation, which led to the student's arrest. No weapons were found at the school. We take all threats seriously and will continue to work diligently to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community."
"The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. We are grateful to everyone involved for their swift actions and cooperation in keeping our campus safe. We appreciate your continued support and vigilance in helping us maintain a secure environment for learning."
ACS encouraged parents to communicate school safety to their children and said they would vigorously investigate all threats.
"Albertville City Schools takes written and verbal threats of violence and talk of weapons seriously," the statement continued. "When a student uses words such as shooting, gun or bomb in a threatening way, it starts a necessary chain of events."
"This may involve investigations and interviews inside and outside of school. Often, system administrators and the Albertville Police Department will conduct home visits to determine if the student has access to weapons. Students will receive significant consequences for these incidents."
In Crossville, Dekalb County Schools also announced the arrest of a juvenile middle school student for making a terroristic threat and engaging in harassing communication. The details of the threats and communication were not elaborated on. However, a School Resource officer first reported the issue.
"We commend the Crossville Middle School administration for their vigilance and quick reporting and the School Resource Officer for his prompt response," said Superintendent Wayne Lyles. "Additionally, we extend our deepest gratitude to the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office for their comprehensive investigation that led to the arrest. The school and law enforcement collaboration demonstrates our unwavering commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment."
"Our firm commitment to the safety and well-being of our students, teachers, and staff is non-negotiable. We have a zero-tolerance policy for threats of violence in our schools, and we will continue to work closely with local law enforcement to swiftly address any potential dangers."
DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden also stated that every threat to a school is treated seriously and investigated thoroughly.
The wave of threats started in the River Region two weeks ago, where police arrested four juveniles for a series of widely promulgated social media posts threatening schools in Montgomery, Elmore and Autauga Counties. Police and school officials tried for days to quell parents' concerns while continually addressing the online rumor mill, where people were falsely reporting active shooters at different schools, as well as other unsubstantiated claims.
In the subsequent days, law enforcement has continued to make arrests related to more social media threats.
None of the threats have led to violent action. However, the trend has grabbed the attention of concerned parents who have publicly expressed worry over continuing to send their children to school.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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