Lexington City Schools faced closure of its senior high school earlier this month following a threat of violence that occurred one day after several other schools in the region faced systemwide closures.
The Lexington situation is different from the others as it led to local arrests.
Four Lexington teenagers have been charged with felonies for threatening mass violence against their schools, according to Lexington Chief of Police Robby Rummage.
Three are Lexington Senior High School students, one is a Lexington Middle School student. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.
This month, the high school has received six total threats from students on social media, Rummage says.
The threats were disruptive. The middle school was delayed and the high school dismissed early.
A difference in the Lexington case is that the threats allegedly came from students. Authorities say the threats at schools in Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin came from a Gmail account.
Chief Rummage says he’s not sure if other threats influenced the Lexington callers.
“It’s possible that that could give folks the idea," he says. "But at the same time, I also can't say that this wouldn't have happened if the other threats didn't happen."
Rummage said he’s proud that students and parents are stepping up and reporting these threats to police. He says he doesn’t take joy in charging minors with felonies, but says it’s necessary to show people that this is a serious crime.
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