Teen charged for her involvement in threat against a Charlotte high school, police say
A 16-year-old girl is charged for her involvement in a “threat of school violence” against a Charlotte high school last week, police said Monday.
At about 8:15 a.m. Friday, officials at Phillip O. Berry Academy contacted the school resource officer after a parent received a message about a school threat on Instagram, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said in a release.
The officer worked with CMPD to speak with a witness who came forward. The investigation into the Instagram post’s origin led to the teenager’s arrest. She was charged with making a false report concerning mass violence on educational property.
Police did not say if the girl is a student at Berry or any Charlotte-Mecklenburg school.
“CMPD continues to urge parents to speak with their children and come forward with information that affects the safety and learning environment within any school,” the department said in the release. “School Resource Officers will continue to work with school administration and utilize CMPD resources to thoroughly investigate all school-based threats.”
TikTok school threat challenge
School officials nationwide announced plans to increase security on Friday because of threatening posts on the social media site TikTok.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent a message to parents on Friday about the TikTok challenge.
“Law enforcement investigates all threats, conducting threat assessments, interviewing families and enforcing consequences,” CMS officials said in the message. “Even threats deemed not credible are violations of the CMS Code of Student Conduct and suspensions or other serious consequences may result. In many cases, any threat, credible or not, also results in criminal charges.”
Most threats turn out to be a hoax, with students admitting they didn’t intend to harm anyone or saying they were just joking, according to the message.
“The safety of students and staff is nothing to joke about,” the message said.
CMS encourages families to talk to students about the seriousness of making false threats or sharing them on social media. The district also asks parents to monitor their students’ “online and social media behavior.”
On Dec. 9, a Union County middle school student was charged with a felony after using the Say Something app to anonymously report a gun threat to Piedmont Middle and/or High Schools, the sheriff’s office said. After multiple interviews, the juvenile confessed to making up the threat, the sheriff’s office said.
CMS plans to use an anonymous reporting app for middle and high school students next month.
