CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Authorities are investigating threats made to several middle and high schools, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed on Monday.
A district spokesperson said increased security would be in place Monday at schools that received direct threats. CMS didn't disclose which schools were threatened, and it's unclear if the threats were made by the same person. Tuesday morning, the district confirmed that the threats were deemed not credible following police investigations.
It comes after threats were made at West Charlotte High School and Hough High School. There was also a bomb threat at Bailey Middle School in Cornelius. Detectives identified a possible suspect in connection with the Bailey and Hough threats in Texas. It's unclear if charges will be brought against that person.
"The scariest thing about is that when you hear that there is a modified lockdown, you think it is going to be the same situation where it's like a joke," Avery Baker told WCNC Charlotte. "But sometimes I think maybe they are using this as a decoy and they are actually going to do something."
RELATED: Union County school leaders say online threats weren't credible, assure parents campuses are safe
Jackson McCree, a student at Hough, said he was scared and wanted to "understand what is happening."
Dozens of schools in North Carolina and South Carolina have received threats in the wake of the Apalachee High School tragedy in Georgia. South Carolina investigators said at least 60 schools in the state received threats with at least 21 teens being charged.
At least 40 North Carolina schools have received threats since early September. Two students were arrested in connection with threats made in Cleveland and Gaston counties, while an Iredell County teen is facing felony charges for a fake threat against Lake Norman High School, deputies said.
Both the Gaston County Police Department and Union County Sheriff's Office said threats in their jurisdictions stemmed from social media, especially TikTok.
"There's a TikTok trend or a social media trend going right now where it's cool, it's a popular thing to do to share those school threats," explained Union County lieutenant James Maye.
Maye said every threat they’ve investigated in Union County so far has not been credible, but they’re taken seriously. "We have had juveniles charged with making false threats of mass violence against an educational property. It is a felony offense in North Carolina," Maye said.