School bus driver arrested, accused of making threats against middle school

A Union County Public Schools bus driver was jailed Sunday for allegedly posting threats on social media targeting a middle school, police say.

Lashauna Hooker Beachum, 32, of Charlotte faces two felony charges of making false reports concerning mass violence on educational property, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said.

The threat, aimed at Porter Ridge Middle School, disparaged several school employees by name and “immigrants,” police said. The post initially appeared on a local Facebook page, “What’s Up Indian Trail,” about 2 a.m. Friday and disappeared before it appeared a second time a few hours later, authorities said.

Beachum’s arrest comes on the heels of the Feb. 14 killings of 17 people at Majory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

Multiple people reported Beachum’s post to the Sheriff’s Office and the school district, authorities said.

Police said deputies were sent to the school campus on Friday to determine the source of the threats. Investigators later traced the post to Beachum’s residence in the 7100 block of Wallace Road in Charlotte, police said.

The motive behind the two messages remains unclear, police said. Detectives do not believe Beachum had the means or intention of acting on the threat, police said.

This story was originally published March 4, 2018 at 7:08 PM with the headline "School bus driver arrested, accused of making threats against middle school."