WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. — An 11-year-old student in Washington County was arrested and charged after sharing a social media bomb threat towards their middle school, according to a press release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
They say the student made the bomb threat towards T.J. Elder Middle School, which is where the suspect was a sixth-grade student.
According to the sheriff's office, they were notified of the social media post Tuesday evening, and within an hour of the report, the sheriff's office identified the suspect and questioned them.
They were arrested and charged with terroristic threats and acts along with criminal attempt to disrupt a public school, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office emphasized that "there is no known threat to the school or its students."
"The Washington County Sheriff's Office, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains dedicated to maintaining the safety and security of our schools," the press release said. "We take all threats to the safety of our students and schools very seriously. The rapid response of our investigators and partner agencies demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that our children are protected at all times."
In the days after the Apalachee High School shooting just outside of Athens, the Washington County School District announced they had ramped up security and sheriff's office presence at the schools.
"Due to the events this week in our own state, we do not want students and parents to be alarmed with the additional law enforcement presence," the district says. "Working together, we can help ensure the safety of our students and staff."
Originally, they said they will be working with local law enforcement to review their processes and increase drills until Wednesday, but after the threat, it is unclear whether those measures will remain past that original date.
Since the shooting at Apalachee, schools have seen a surge in false threats, many of which have lead to arrests of minor students. Districts ranging from Bibb to Laurens to Bleckley have dealt with threats that have, all told, ended up being unsubstantiated.
