MARYVILLE, Tenn. — The Blount County Sheriff's Office announced that a 14-year-old middle school student was charged after making threats of violence on school grounds on social media, according to BCSO's Facebook post.
In addition to the charge, another student was cited after failing to report the threat to school officials, BCSO said.
"We take threats of this nature earnestly," Sheriff James Lee Berrong said. "Whether or not students make these threats of mass violence as a joke or with ill intention, we look at their actions the same either way and we will charge them accordingly."
Around 7 a.m., deputies were made aware of the threat by a student who attends Eagleton College and Career Academy, said BCSO. Several deputies immediately responded to ECCA to secure the school and assemble the students arriving at school in a safe area.
According to BCSO, the 14-year-old male was arrested and charged with a threat of mass violence on school grounds by a delinquent. He was taken to the Blount County Juvenile Court where he will be held pending a hearing.
Deputies cited the 13-year-old male to juvenile court where he will answer to the charge of failure to report a threat of mass violence, BCSO said.
"We must make these juveniles realize how serious these threats are, even if they never planned on taking action," Sheriff Berrong said. "I ask that any student who hears about possible threats of violence by other students to please report it immediately to a school official or the SRO."
According to BCSO, during the investigation, SROs learned the name of the student who created the post and took him into custody at 8:52 a.m. SRO also confirmed through the parents and guardians that neither student had access to weapons in their homes.