Juvenile Arrested For Making Threats Against Charlotte Schools

CHARLOTTE, NC — A juvenile was arrested Thursday for threatening gun violence at three Charlotte-area middle schools over social media.

The threat, made over SnapChat on Feb. 28, said "Imma shoot up southwest tmrw, be ready,” WCNC reported. Southwest Middle, Community House Middle and Kennedy Middle schools were all targeted in the threats.

As a precaution, the schools said they would have extra security on hand March 1, parents of students were told in an automated call that went out Wednesday.

“[W]hile law enforcement and school administration deemed the threat low risk, we will continue to exercise extreme vigilance with school security,” Community House Middle Principal Jamie Brooks said in a message to parents, Charlotte radio station WNKS reported.

SEE ALSO: Salisbury High School Student Arrested For Making Shooting Threat

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“CMS and law enforcement will pursue maximum punishment under criminal law and the student code of conduct,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokesperson Tracy Russ said, according to WCNC. “I want to be clear with everyone - threats of any kind and possession of weapons of any type will not be tolerated.”

In the wake of the the deadly Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., Charlotte school officials will investigate and aggressively prosecute threats, even those claiming to be jokes, Russ said.

Earlier this week, a 14-year-old high school freshman was arrested and charged by Salisbury police for making threats to "shoot up" the school, which led the school to spend two days on lockdown.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

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