GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — A teenager was arrested on a juvenile petition Tuesday for “communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property,” the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said.
A 13-year-old, whose identity was not released due to them being a minor, was arrested and charged through juvenile petition, or the formal pleading that initiates a juvenile court case that must be filed by a juvenile court counselor, for a threat against the Wayne County School System.
The sheriff’s office said it was made aware of the threat, which was not specified to CBS 17, by a social media post. It did say however the post threatened “multiple Wayne County Public School facilities.”
“Investigators successfully linked the post to a 13-year-old juvenile,” the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said. “The juvenile has been arrested and charged on a juvenile petition for communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property. Investigators determined that this threat was not credible, and there is no known threat to any school facilities.”
The sheriff’s office said it is going to staff additional law enforcement at Wayne County public schools on Thursday, despite no ongoing threat.
“The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office takes these threats very seriously and will continue to charge anyone who threatens the safety of our school facilities.”