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Two former counselors arrested for threat involving mass shooting at North Carolina camp, deputies say

Nicholas Selby and Robert Ryan both charged

nicholas selby, robert ryan
Jackson County Sheriff's Office
nicholas selby, robert ryan
SOURCE: Jackson County Sheriff's Office
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Two former counselors arrested for threat involving mass shooting at North Carolina camp, deputies say

Nicholas Selby and Robert Ryan both charged

Two former counselors at a North Carolina summer camp have been arrested after a threat involving a mass shooting at the camp, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.Authorities said at about 10 p.m. on June 22, they began an investigation into a threat involving a mass shooting made to SOAR, a school located in Jackson County that provides summer camps, academy learning and GAP year curriculum to a variety of age groups of children and young adults. The threats were made by two recently dismissed employees in a group text conversation using a social media platform, officials said. They said the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was alerted by SOAR staff members after they learned of the messages. SOAR administrators implemented their safety protocols while deputies investigated the threats. One suspect, Nicholas Selby, was arrested by deputies a short time after the initial report while he was still in the area of the SOAR properties on Rosemont Road in Jackson County, Chief Deputy Matthew D. Wike said in a news release. Wike said the second suspect, Robert Ryan, was arrested by Haywood County Sheriff’s Office deputies a few hours later on Thursday in the Maggie Valley area of Haywood County. Both suspects were arrested without incident. No weapons were found during the arrests of the suspects.Selby, 23, is charged with communicating a threat of mass violence to an educational property, felony possession of marijuana, felony possession of a schedule I controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia (two counts), and simple possession of a schedule III controlled substance.Ryan, 21, is charged with communicating a threat of mass violence to an educational property. Ryan was also charged with possession of a schedule VI controlled substance related to his arrest in Haywood County.Selby and Ryan both provided an Austin, Texas, address at the time of their arrest.Both are currently held in the Jackson County Detention Center with no bond.

Two former counselors at a North Carolina summer camp have been arrested after a threat involving a mass shooting at the camp, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said at about 10 p.m. on June 22, they began an investigation into a threat involving a mass shooting made to SOAR, a school located in Jackson County that provides summer camps, academy learning and GAP year curriculum to a variety of age groups of children and young adults.

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The threats were made by two recently dismissed employees in a group text conversation using a social media platform, officials said.

They said the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was alerted by SOAR staff members after they learned of the messages.

SOAR administrators implemented their safety protocols while deputies investigated the threats.

One suspect, Nicholas Selby, was arrested by deputies a short time after the initial report while he was still in the area of the SOAR properties on Rosemont Road in Jackson County, Chief Deputy Matthew D. Wike said in a news release.

Wike said the second suspect, Robert Ryan, was arrested by Haywood County Sheriff’s Office deputies a few hours later on Thursday in the Maggie Valley area of Haywood County. Both suspects were arrested without incident.

No weapons were found during the arrests of the suspects.

Selby, 23, is charged with communicating a threat of mass violence to an educational property, felony possession of marijuana, felony possession of a schedule I controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia (two counts), and simple possession of a schedule III controlled substance.

Ryan, 21, is charged with communicating a threat of mass violence to an educational property. Ryan was also charged with possession of a schedule VI controlled substance related to his arrest in Haywood County.

Selby and Ryan both provided an Austin, Texas, address at the time of their arrest.

Both are currently held in the Jackson County Detention Center with no bond.