by Craig Monger
A total of six juveniles have been arrested and charged with making terroristic threats that sent shockwaves through the River Region over the weekend after multiple social media posts making violent threats to surrounding schools flooded social media.
The Montgomery Police Department (MPD) recently announced the arrest of an 11-year-old female, who was swiftly released to a guardian due to her age. Two other juveniles, a male and female, both 13, were arrested on Sunday and Monday and transported to the Montgomery County Youth Detention Facility.
The arrests came after a series of social media posts made various threats to schools in the tri-county area on Sunday.
It’s unclear what posts are related to which arrests since there have been multiple arrests related to other threats made. Millbrook Police also arrested two 12-year-olds related to online threats directed toward Stanhope Elmore High School and Millbrook Middle School. The two Montgomery arrests came after threats directed towards Bellingrath and McKee Middle Schools. However, other posts also featured similar threats to Prattville High School, Prattville Middle School and several others in the area. More arrests may be forthcoming.
The recent arrests come as a slew of threats have rocked areas in the state, especially in the River Region.
Last week, a football game between Tallassee High School and Elmore County High School was called off, and the premises were evacuated post-halftime after a threat of gun violence led school officials and law enforcement to postpone the game.
A 15-year-old boy in Etowah County was taken into custody Monday morning and charged with allegedly making a terroristic threat against Southside High School.
In Autauga, Elmore and Montgomery, the schools allowed children to skip school without incurring an unexcused absence, and several canceled all extracurricular activities. Parents at several schools in the area told 1819 News there was a notable lack of attendance Monday morning.
The threats created a panic of their own among parents and residents on social media. The situation was made worse by rampant false speculation that there were active shooters at different schools, frustrating local law enforcement who were struggling to keep up with the rapidly evolving situation.
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Craig Monger is a writer for 1819 News.
