KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Three Gibbs Middle School students were arrested Thursday after the Knox County Sheriff's Office said they made fake calls about an active shooter at Halls Middle School.
According to KCSO, all three were eighth-graders and were charged with making a false report. The charge is a felony, and they're also facing misdemeanor charges of making threats of mass destruction and abusing the E-911 communications system. KCSO said the only threat made Thursday was for a supposed active shooter at Halls Middle School.
Concerns flared among some community members Thursday that other threats were made at other schools. However, KCSO said no other threat to a Knox County school was made. Gibbs Elementary, Gibbs Middle and Gibbs High schools were all put on lockdown Thursday for the investigation — not for a threat.
Halls Elementary, Halls Middle and Halls High schools were also put on lockdown during the incident, according to KCSO. Jason Periard, the KCS Chief of School Security, said during a press conference that school resource officers were present at Halls Middle School and there were about 13 officers at the school within 20 minutes after the threats were made.
Students were dismissed early after consideration of their emotional well-being, according to Jon Rysewyk, the Knox County Schools superintendent.
All three students were arrested and are being held at the Juvenile Detention Facility, according to KCSO. Sheriff Tom Spangler also urged parents to talk with their children about the severity of making violent threats and tell them consequences would follow.