NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Four separate threats of violence on Nashville public schools this week, and this has led now to five arrests.
Metro Nashville Police Department officials said the four students — ranging from 13 and up to 17 — have been arrested for the threats.
Police said arresting these teens shows just how serious they are taking these threats, the most recent being a 14-year-old girl at Hillwood High School.
The other arrest includes a 14-year-old Maplewood High School Student, followed by a 17-year-old Stratford High School student, a 13-year-old at Thurgood Marshall Middle School student and a 14-year-old student at Hillwood.
All could be facing some serious charges depending on the court.
"It's dangerous in all aspects of the way. But it's scary as a parent to find that out that way," said a Metro Nashville Public Schools parent.
This mother — who doesn't want to be identified to protect her children — said nothing but fear kicked in as she showed screenshots of the school threats being shared on social media.
She said the only communication she was getting about the incident were from her scared children inside the school.
"He was in fact texting me telling me the same thing from 'I love you' to 'come get me.' Sending me Snapchat videos saying, 'Mommy, there's a shooter in my high school.'"
She said she was never notified by the school and says this needs to change regardless if the threat wasn't real.
MNPD spokesperson Brooke Reese said the threats were posted on Instagram, and detectives worked with the social media company to find the identities of the teens behind the threats.
"This is not all fun and games. This is taken seriously by everyone in the community, including this department and the school system," said Reese. "While it may seem harmless to text a friend or send a message to a friend that you're going to threaten violence on a school, that's taken very seriously."
The arrested students were taken to juvenile court on the charges of threatening mass violence in a school, which is a misdemeanor charge, They were also charged with making a false report, which is a felony.
MNPS Director Adrienne Battle sent a memoto parents today asking them to discuss the consequences of posting social media threats.
