CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — At least one person has been arrested and a second person has been identified after a string of violent threats were made on social media against schools in Cleveland, Gaston, and Lincoln counties, officials said. The names of both individuals are not being released because they are juveniles.
An 11-year-old child has been arrested for threats posted against several Gaston County schools, the Gaston County Police Department confirmed to WCNC Charlotte. A spokesperson said their arrest is separate from an arrest also made for threatening posts against schools in Cleveland County.
It was not immediately clear if the two people suspected of making threats had been a coordinated effort. It was not also immediately clear if either one of those arrested was also responsible for the threats in Lincoln County.
Law enforcement in Lincoln, Gaston, and Cleveland counties have been working to determine the source of social media posts suggesting threats of school shootings. The posts named a large number of schools across multiple counties, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam.
Cleveland County Schools confirmed it was aware of a photo on various social media platforms. The district said additional security was in place at campuses across the district as a precaution.
"We are in close communication with Cleveland County Schools and have an active investigation into the incident," the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook.
Jody Seagle, an administrative captain with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, said the threat originated Monday night.
"There were some photos that began circulating on social media of an individual, just the individual's hand, holding a firearm and some of the photos had some caption of threats toward different schools in Cleveland County," Seagle said.
Two of the schools, Crest Middle School and Burns High School, are served by the sheriff's office. Seagle said detectives determined the post was made by a juvenile.
"It's been confirmed thus far that the juvenile originated the post and also posted it to a social media account and shared it," Seagle explained.
Through the course of their investigation, Cleveland County officials determined the person made the threats "to avoid attending school, and not to carry out a physical act of violence," the sheriff's official said in a released statement. That person has been identified, located, and referred to juvenile court officials, according to the sheriff's office.
The Gaston County Police Department said it was investigating an "unspecified threat" on TikTok that named multiple schools as possible targets. Detectives determined there was "no active threat" to any of the schools, but the agency is working with Gaston County Schools to ensure heightened security protocols are followed.
Multiple people commented on the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office post, indicating threats were made against their children's schools, including Burns High School. Other parents voiced frustration that they learned about the threats and extra security on social media.
"I just found out through Facebook that my baby sister and my baby's schools are being guarded by extra police," Rissa Perry wrote. "Do better CCC. Social media should not be the first line of communication."