gun in backpack

South Carolina Student Arrested After Fabricating School Threat

A high school student fabricated a story about a classmate having a gun and threatening to shoot up the school, police said.

  • By Sherelle Black
  • November 06, 2019

A 16-year-old student has been charged with filing a false report after she told authorities on Monday that a classmate had a gun and planned to shoot the South Carolina high school up.

After receiving the threat, the Sumter Police Department placed the school on lockdown while they investigated the threat, delaying classes by an hour. When the officers determined there was not a threat, the student said she made up the threat.

“We take all threats to schools very seriously," Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said to WCSC. “Appropriate actions must be taken anytime a false claim like this is made.”

The girl was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Colombia.

School officials said in a statement, “This morning, law enforcement was at Sumter High School investigating an alleged threat that was reported to the school. While the transition of classes was delayed, the school day is now proceeding as normal. All students are safe, and no incident has occurred. Our first and most important priority is the safety of our students and staff, and our pledge to our parents is that we will continue to work with law enforcement in the investigation. There was no credibility to the threat.”

About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Brigham Young University Strengthens Campus Security With Genetec Operations Center

    Genetec Inc, a provider of enterprise physical security software, announced that Brigham Young University's (BYU) has optimized its security operations with the Genetec™ Operations Center work management system. Read Now

  • AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety

    Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety. Read Now

  • Fort Worth ISD Strengthens Event Safety

    The issue of concealed weapons being introduced into school extracurricular activities, including sporting events and graduations, became a growing concern in communities across the nation. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were at least 202 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 56 deaths and 147 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols. Read Now

  • From Safety to Strategy: How to Leverage Data Security In Higher Education

    Today’s higher education campuses function much like small cities. Each department works autonomously yet relies on shared resources to operate effectively. Since these departments often work independently, collaboration can be difficult, leading to inefficiencies. Read Now

Most   Popular