KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Editor's Note: WBIR has set up a phone number for parents to call and leave messages about recent school threats. Anyone who wants to share their thoughts and feelings about the recent uptick in school threats can call 865-257-9264 and leave a message. If you have a tip about a threat, you should call 911.
Knox County Schools said it is taking safety measures after multiple schools were named in a social media post that listed a "hit list" of schools. The Knox County Sheriff's Office said a female seventh-grade student from West Valley Middle School was arrested at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
In a release, the sheriff's office said detectives determined she was one of the people responsible for posting the "hit list."
The "hit list" included six Knox County Schools and a caption that said "Yall Next." West Valley Middle, Gresham Middle, Bearden Middle, Alcoa Middle, Northwest Middle, Farragut Middle and Farragut High School all appear on the list. The school district said every school has a school security officer.
The schools and their attendance rates for Tuesday are listed below.
- West Valley Middle: 82.5%
- Gresham Middle: 77.5%
- Bearden Middle: 88.2%
- Northwest Middle: 92.1%
- Farragut Middle: 90.8%
- Farragut High: 90%
The social media post first began to circulate on Monday. West Valley Middle sent an email to parents around 7 p.m. and said local law enforcement determined that the rumor was unfounded and not credible.
On Tuesday morning, Farragut Middle, Farragut High and Bearden Middle schools sent messages to students' parents regarding a school threat. The messages said KCS security and local law enforcement are actively investigating the situation.
WBIR was at Farragut Middle and High School Tuesday morning.
"It's alarming for sure. As a school board rep and a parent, I feel good to send my kids to school today," School Board representative Lauren Morgan said.
As of 11 a.m., the district hadn't addressed the messages sent out to parents. WBIR reached out to KCS and later received this response:
"We have been made aware of social media posts circulating that include potential threats to several of our schools. KCS takes all safety concerns very seriously, and our School Security Department has been working nonstop with local law enforcement to investigate. As a safety precaution, our impacted schools have implemented additional measures to ensure that we have a safe and productive learning environment for our students and staff.," KCS said.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office released a statement regarding the social media threats:
"The Knox County Sheriff’s Office juvenile crimes unit is actively investigating an online threat that has been circulating, naming numerous schools. As always, the Knox County Schools Security Division has been very helpful. Sheriff Spangler emphasized on Friday evening at a press conference at the Halls Campus, 'Parents, please check on your kids. Know what they’re doing, the games they’re playing, and who they’re interacting with on social media platforms.' We will charge those responsible to the fullest extent of the law. There is no excuse for a child or teacher to be in fear while trying to attend or teach school. KCSO’s detectives, especially the juvenile detectives, are working around the clock to investigate these threats. If you have information, call 865-215-2243."
The Knoxville Police Department also released a statement regarding the threats:
"We are aware of several school-related threats that have been circulated on social media. The threats are vague and unspecific. The original source of those threats is unknown and the investigation is ongoing.
We work alongside of KCSO, Knox County School Security, FBI Knoxville and Tennessee Homeland Security to investigate any potential threats as we are made aware of them. All school-related threats will be investigated to the fullest extent possible and any individuals found to be responsible for making perceived threats of violence towards our schools will be held accountable."