Investigations, two arrests at CMS schools this week amid concerns about violence

A 14-year-old middle schooler has been arrested and charged with making threats against her school, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Thursday.

The student, whose name is not being released because of her age, has been charged with felony false report concerning mass violence on an educational property in connection with a Snapchat threat of violence at Southwest Middle School, CMPD Assistant Chief Vicki Foster said Thursday.

Police are also investigating a threat about violence at Community House Middle School, but no one has been arrested yet in that case. Parents of Community House and Southwest students received phone alerts about school security this week, news stations reported.

Attendance at Southwest Middle was considerably down Thursday, police said. Foster said police are on top of the threats and urged parents to send their kids to school.

CMPD and CMS Police worked with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate the threat made against Southwest Middle, including interviewing students and parents overnight Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.

On Thursday, CMPD also announced two other investigations at CMS schools this week, including another arrest. A 17-year-old South Mecklenburg High student was charged with possession of a firearm on educational property after leaving a gun in his car during baseball practice Wednesday, police said.

And a fight Wednesday afternoon at Kennedy Middle School led to a student being struck in the back of the head, police said. The victim “made a comment” to other students that sparked an investigation, police said.

Security also was increased Monday at Charlotte Catholic High School after students reported concerning social media posts from a former student, Observer news partner WBTV reported late Wednesday. According to the school’s principal, two students contacted their guidance counselors about the posts, and the counselors immediately notified the school administration.

School officials contacted CMPD, which had officers on campus Monday “out of an abundance of caution,” Principal Kurt Telford told the station.

This story was originally published February 28, 2018 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Investigations, two arrests at CMS schools this week amid concerns about violence."