Teenager charged with threats against several schools

Rate	Price	Duration
One month	$13.52	for 28 days
Three months	$40.56	for 84 days
Six months	$81.12	for 168 days
One year	$162.24	for 365 days

Rate	Price	Duration
One month	$13.52	for 28 days
Three months	$40.56	for 84 days
Six months	$81.12	for 168 days
One year	$162.24	for 365 days

Rate	Price	Duration
One month	$13.52	for 28 days
Three months	$40.56	for 84 days
Six months	$81.12	for 168 days
One year	$162.24	for 365 days

Rate	Price	Duration
One month	$13.52	for 28 days
Three months	$40.56	for 84 days
Six months	$81.12	for 168 days
One year	$162.24	for 365 days

Threats of violence made on social media Jan. 31 that were directed at students at several Wayne County public schools set parents and students on edge with some students skipping school and staying home the next day.

Several hours after the threats were made, Wayne County deputies were able to track down and arrest the 13-year-old accused of making the threats. The juvenile was arrested and charged on a juvenile petition for communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property, according to a press release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation that involved coordination among several law enforcement agencies, including Goldsboro and Mount Olive police, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and the N.C. Information Sharing and Analysis Center led deputies to determine the threat was not credible. Deputies also determined that there was no known threat to any school facilities.

Parents took to social media sharing concern about their children attending school, with many saying they planned to keep their children at home.

Sheriff Larry Pierce said the overall investigation confirmed the threat as not credible. Pierce was unable to discuss details of the investigation for security reasons and also because the threats were made by a juvenile.

“I appreciate the quick work by our School Resource Officer and Investigation Divisions to find and charge the individual responsible for this threat,” Pierce said. “The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office takes these threats very seriously and will continue to charge anyone who threatens the safety of our school facilities.”

One of the social media posts that circulated on various social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, identified several schools that would be targeted by shooters on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2. The schools that were named include Brogden Primary, Southern Wayne High, Eastern Wayne middle and high schools and Dillard Middle School.

The threat was against Black students with derogatory statements about Black History Month, according to the social media post. The times of the shootings were also included as being set between 10:15 a.m. and 11:05 a.m. The post also said that weapons were already planted inside the schools, in cabinets.

Another post said there were seven people involved, “All Mexican. And 3 whites,” the post said.

“During the investigation, there was no evidence to indicate there were others involved,” said Joel Gillie, Wayne County public information officer.

Ken Derksen, Wayne County Public Schools executive director of community engagement and student and family support, said attendance at county schools was down for the day Wednesday.

More than one-third of students enrolled at 33 Wayne County Public Schools were absent Feb. 1, WCPS attendance data shows.

“We can confirm that attendance was lower than usual today,” Derksen said on Feb. 1. “While attendance was noticeably lower, teaching and learning continued.”

Absences due to a communicated threat are not excused, according to the WCPS attendance policy.

Additional law enforcement officers were at multiple schools Feb. 1. Derksen said the increased presence of law enforcement was to alleviate concerns regarding the threats.

“Additional law enforcement patrols were provided to school facilities to help ease concerns,” Gillie said. “Officers had primary locations but could assist throughout the county as needed.”

The Goldsboro-Wayne and Duplin NAACP branches condemned the threats that were made against students of color.

“The Goldsboro-Wayne and Duplin County Branches of the NAACP condemn in the strongest terms the recent threats, posted in detail on social media,” said John Barnes, president of the Goldsboro-Wayne Branch of the NAACP, and Nicholas Green, president of the Duplin County Branch of the NAACP, in a joint statement. “Threats were reported against black students at five Wayne County Public Schools on the evening of Jan. 31. Threats were reported against black students at three Duplin County Schools on the morning of Feb. 1.

“These acts of hate and violence have no place in our community and threaten the safety and well-being of all of our young people.”

Barnes and Green said they are grateful for the swift action of law enforcement in addressing the threats, including the arrest made by Wayne County deputies, as well as action taken by school district leaders, including their monitoring of the situation.

The NAACP branch leaders also said they are committed to working with families, community leaders and others to address the threats of violence in an effort to create “safe and inclusive schools” for students.

“We stand with the families, teachers and students affected by these threats, and we call on all members of our community to come together in solidarity to reject hate and violence in all its forms and to seek solutions and strategies that are in keeping with our mission to expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color,” Barnes and Green said.