Authorities found the student off the Oxford campus and determined there was no longer a threat. Marceno reiterated his departments commitment to a zero-tolerance policy, saying, Those responsible for threats, real or fake, will be held accountable.. Minnesotans deserve to know that when they send their kids to school, they will come home safely, the governor said. While parents and community members took to social media to express frustrations about lack of information,Titanski closed the news conference by requesting the public respect the privacy of those involved in the investigation as "the challenges they face in coping with these events are significant. It was very heartbreaking.. Desoto County schools are on high alert after threats were made against two of their campuses. Will local change happen after Tyre Nichols death? When using Revopay, please allow 48 hours for the payment to process. We need more than words, though we need action. She worries about shootings all the time but is confident in school security. Every Center Hill Middle School parent we talked with on and off camera had great things to say about the school; which is why they were alarmed to get an email Wednesday about alleged threats directed at the school, supposedly days after they were made. Snow Hill is located about 25 miles from the resort town of Ocean City, Maryland, and about 140miles from Washington, D.C. "The Worcester County Sheriff's Office, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, the Worcester County State's Attorney's Office and the Worcester County Public Schools are confident that due to combined efforts, there is currently no active threat to Snow Hill Middle School or any other school within Worcester County," Crisafulli said. "We are so grateful that what could have been a tremendous tragedy was prevented by the actions of the brave young eighth grade students who had the fortitude and courage to step forward and relay their concerns and fears," he said. Detectives interviewed both teens and determined that they both met the criteria for evaluation at a mental health facility, said Marceno. Officials are crediting a group of eighth-grade students for foiling a school shooting plot at a Maryland middle school. CNN has been unable to determine whether either suspect has obtained legal counsel. Special agents from St. Paul field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded, that agency said on Twitter. There are no words to describe the bravery exhibited by our staff at SEC and local authorities today, Lewandowski said in a statement. Worcester County investigators arrested two minors after the students reported a credible threat to staff at Snow Hill Middle School in Snow Hill, Maryland. The Platte County Sheriffs Office was made aware of a social media threat of a school shooting at Lakeview Middle School Sunday night around ", Trump calls on nation to 'answer hate with love', President Donald Trump called on Americans to "answer hate with love, answer cruelty with kindness," after a troubled 19-year-old former pupil gunned-down students and teachers at a Florida school. Cory Useltonsaid the Florida situation put everyone on alert. The incident was reported by students on March 22. Youve got to remember teenagers will be teenagers. A young man lost his life yesterday, another is fighting for his life and countless others have lives that are changed forever based on the trauma and the fear evoked yesterday, Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the FBI Minneapolis field office, said Wednesday. He said she told him a student had threatened online to shoot up the school. WebLee County Sheriff's Office CNN Authorities in Lee County, Florida, thwarted a plot by two students to commit a school shooting, after a teacher shared a tip alleging a student Extra patrols and security will be stationed at Center Hill Middle as a precaution. Together they emptied the classroom and investigated, Savage said. These rumors are not true. Several teachers told Local Memphis they wont be going to school Friday, and parents may keep their kids home. Parents and students will definitely notice this increased presence on campus Friday morning. In a related development, Northwest Mississippi Community Collegelocked down its four north Mississippi campuses Friday, including one in DeSoto County, after Oxford, Miss., police received what they considered a credible threat from a current student. The teens will undergo a psychiatric evaluation under Floridas Baker Act before being moved to a detention facility, a police spokesperson told CNN. "I just trust that they are going to do what they need to get the student out of the school.". March 25, 2011, 6:29 AM. The district was working to reunite all students with their families and secure all school buildings, the message added. 2. "They determined that the social media post could not be linked to Center Hill High School or any of the other schools in our school district.". The other shows a rifle and talks about the KKK rising again as white brothers and sisters burn down brown houses. The chief said Tuesday that when officers arrived at the scene they found two students who had been shot on a sidewalk outside of the school. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Therefore, we have no jurisdiction over the school. WebOfficials are crediting a group of eighth-grade students for foiling a school shooting plot at a Maryland middle school. School shootings, mass shootings & gun violence happen far too often and we must never become numb or desensitized. "As parents, we often hear about rumors and allegations through social media, and it is often difficult to diffuse untrue statements," Uselton said. Major McMillen said they are treating the case as a homicide. Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 18, is also being held at the jail and facing a murder charge without bail. In response to the growing questions about whats going on at Center Hill Middle and the heightened alert surrounding safety, DeSoto County School officials sent an update Thursday night saying: Center Hill Middle School officials and DeSoto County Schools officials have been in communication with the DeSoto County Sheriffs Department today and this evening regarding alleged threats made against the school. Because of the concerns at both schools, the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department had an increased presence on the campuses Friday morning beyond the normal school resource officers. Did you encounter any technical issues? The Desoto County Sheriffs Department is investigating the threats. Henthorne said the suspects fled the shooting scene in a vehicle. All rights reserved. Be Strong Families Virtual Cafe 5Essentials Survey - We need your feedback! Police kept a close watch over the Center Hill high and middle school campuses, just south of the Tennessee state line, Friday because of social media threats of gun violence. Kids will be kids but right now with this just being right after Florida, stepping up security is the best possible action, McKiddy said. The Center Hill High email followed one sent Thursday to the parents of Center Hill Middle School parents sayingthere had been many questions about guns being found on the middle school campus or on buses. WebLast school year, Center Hill High was 54 percent white, 37 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic, with the remaining students coming from other groups, according to state data. All Rights Reserved. The victims identity has not been released at this time. "With the tragedy that took place this week in Florida, everyone is at a heightened state of alert regarding schools safety," he said in his district-wide email to parents. Uselton added that district officials were in "constant communication" with law enforcement Thursday and Friday because of threats at Center Hill. Local and federal authorities responded to a shooting that occurred at 12:07 p.m. Tuesday on the sidewalk near the front entrance of the South The recent school shooting in Florida has faculty and parents still concerned. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Evidence recovered also revealed that this plot had been several months in the making. Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski said in a Tuesday statement posted on the website that the building was being evacuated and parents could pick up their students at a reunification site. The sheriffs office does not believe there is any additional threat to the school or students, and additional law enforcement officers will be present at school tomorrow. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Parents hope whoever is making the threats is found soon. They do a really good job of protecting the schools out here, Jones said. Gov. ", Background: Two charged following Snow Hill Middle School safety threat: Worcester officials. This website endeavors to comply with best practices and standards defined by Section 508 of the U.S. Parents say the two images circulated on snapchat last night and tagged Center Hill High school students.\. Police work in front of South Education Center in Richfield, Minnesota, on February 1, 2022. Uselton said in an earlier email Friday morning, directed just to Center Hill High School parents, thatthe DeSoto County Sheriff's Department was contacted Thursday night about a social media post. Here are some updates: -There have been many questions about guns being found on the Center Hill Middle School campus and/or buses. The investigation uncovered the teens had taken an interest in the 1999 Columbine High school shooting and were extensively studying to learn more about the incident and the shooters, the sheriff continued. We know that one young person will not come home to their family tonight. As a dad, I know that hearing of a shooting by a school is a parents greatest fear. Austin was not big enough to hold all its grief on May 18, 1978, when two authority figures- a policeman and a schoolteacher- were shot to death hours apart while doing their jobs. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Live. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. MikeBaileyallowed his daughter, a ninth-grader at Center Hill High, to stay home Friday because he said she was terrified to go to school. The school district is asking parents to talk to their kids about coming forward if they hear or see anything suspicious. Taylor said anyone who has been touched by this incident is encouraged to take advantage of these resources. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. During the search, officials did not find any weapons, but did find a map of the school marked with the locations of each of the schools interior cameras, said the sheriff. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Investigators uncovered multiple pieces of evidence including "materials referencing a prior nationally covered school shooting event and plans related to a school shooting at Snow Hill Middle School." Its pretty scary, said father Michael Morales. One 7th grade student at Center Hill, who did not want to be identified, said students are scared and aren't going to school tomorrow. WebHill, who was described as quiet and unassuming by his neighbors but as potentially dangerous by family members, had nearly 500 rounds of ammunition for the military-style However, there have been emails and phone calls about incidents that are rumored to take place at the school. Deputies have stepped up patrols at both campuses and every campus in this school district. appreciated. Midwest. It came in an email, claiming a credible source said there will be a shooting Friday afternoon when classes let out. 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