Crisp County 12-Year-Old Middle School Students Detained After Terroristic Threats
On September 9, 2024, two Crisp County Middle School students were detained by the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office following terroristic threats made via text message. A Crisp County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer was alerted to the threats and responded immediately. In response, a large contingent of Crisp County Sheriff’s Deputies was dispatched to the middle school campus, and the school system decided to evacuate the campus as a precautionary measure.
Authorities conducted a thorough physical search of the campus with the assistance of bomb detection K9s from the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. The search confirmed that the campus was safe, and school operations resumed normally.
Two 12-year-old males were detained:
- One was charged with Terrorist Threats and Acts and Disruption of Operation of Public School.
- Another was charged with Terrorist Threats and Acts and Disruption of Operation of Public School.
Investigators determined that the threats made by the two juveniles were unrelated to each other. Each student had made separate threats of different terrorist acts.
Sheriff Billy Hancock emphasized the seriousness with which such threats are handled: “Any statement implying threats or violence against a school in this community, whether meant as a joke, part of a social media trend, or otherwise, will be taken seriously! All threats will be fully investigated, and those responsible will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. The duty to protect our students is not just on the school system or law enforcement. Parents, you can also be held accountable for your child’s actions or inactions. Ensuring the safety of our children is a responsibility we all share.”
