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Two teens charged in connection to threats made against Knox County schools, deputies say

The Knox County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that additional threats are also being investigated as of Friday night.

KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE (9/7 - 10:06 a.m.): 

McCarter was interiewed, along with multiple witnesses, over comments he allegedly made on Thursday, according to records.

Knox County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) records say the suspect was overhead in the school's gym saying, "When I graduate, I'm going to bring an AK-47 to graduation and shoot it up."

The 18-year-old was taken into custody and transported to the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. He's charged with recklessly threatening an act of mass violence.

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UPDATE (9/6 - 9:45 p.m.): The Knox County Sheriff's Office confirmed another student had been arrested tied to making threats of mass violence. Charles McCarter, 18, was taken to Roger D. Wilson Detention Center late Friday afternoon.

He was the second person taken into custody after authorities said he threatened schools, according to KCSO.

The sheriff's office confirmed additional threats are also being investigated. Various threats were made against Halls Middle School and Halls High School in North Knox County, according to investigators.

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A 14-year-old Halls High School student was arrested Friday after making a threat of mass violence, according to the Knox County Sheriff's Office.

Officials have not released the student's identity because they are a juvenile. During a press conference, Sheriff Tom Spangler said search warrants were being executed, and said it was "coincidental" that a threat would be made days after the deadly shooting of a Georgia high school.

“I can't stress enough as I have said many times before, we will take every threat against our schools seriously," KCSO Sheriff Tom Spangler said. "There will be consequences for this type of behavior and as long as I am the Sheriff it will not be tolerated in Knox County.”

Spangler also sent a message to the families of students to monitor their children and to get ahead of any potential challenges they may be facing at this time

"The message I have for our parents is that, if you notice there's something going on with your child, let us know or at least get them some help of some kind, whatever it may be because they may be going through some stressful time that may be bothering them," said Spangler

The sheriff adds that it is a small number of students who make these types of threats and it is not reflective of the entire student body. 

"We can't take a threat lightly right now and we're not going to," said Spangler. "Let me in reiterate, it's a small number of individuals that are making these threats and for the most part our students are doing are doing a great job and we appreciate them."  

KCSO has not released additional information on the incident. We will update the story when we learn more.

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