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Across the Tri-State Area, school districts fell under siege last week. Threats were received in Ohio, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania, as reports from multiple media outlets suggest there has been a wave of such frightening situations since the deadly school shooting in Georgia Sept. 4.
In Jefferson County, a juvenile is being held in connection with threats of violence that disrupted Buckeye Local Schools. The juvenile, according to Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr., has taken responsibility for threats that were made Monday morning and Tuesday evening through the social media app Snapchat. Those threats led to a soft lockdown and forced extracurricular events to be canceled.
In Hancock County, meanwhile, a sixth-grader who authorities say was involved in a threat against Weir Middle School is facing felony charges, Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Steven Dragisich said. That comes after threats were received through Snapchat Monday and Tuesday. And, on Thursday, a 13-year-old girl was detained in connection with another Snapchat threat made Wednesday.
All of this comes as school districts in nearby communities in Western Pennsylvania, including Butler, Ligonier, McKeesport, the North Hills, Shaler, Slippery Rock and West Mifflin, canceled classes or beefed up security measures after numerous threats were received.
Also affected by threats were schools in Martins Ferry, St. Clairsville and Shadyside.
In Tennessee, a gun was confiscated from a 6-year-old; in Nebraska, one high school student shot another before being taken into custody. There are bomb threats everywhere (and not just at schools.)
South of our region, at Blennerhassett Middle School in Parkersburg, an investigation into one student's reported threats resulted in that student being taken into custody and referred for prosecution. At Marietta Elementary School, a student alleged to have been threatening others with a knife has been suspended, and charges are pending.
Frightening stuff, to be sure. It is difficult to comprehend what these young people are thinking -- and leads people to wonder if this rash of threats is a sign that Georgia's incident has ignited something deeply troubling in so many children who are willing to wreak havoc, maybe injure ... perhaps even kill.
How have we reached this point?
These are no longer random incidents -- they are happening everywhere in the U.S. And while educators, counselors and public officials examine what has made it so appealing for so many to jump on this trend, there is something else we can do -- and that's to be aware.
The FBI made clear it is on watch.
"These threats disrupt school, waste resources and put first responders and innocent people in unnecessary danger," the bureau announced in response to the incidents in Western Pennsylvania. "FBI Pittsburgh stands committed and ready to respond to any immediate threat involving any educational institution 24 hours a day."
Authorities are sending a message that there will be consequences: The young people involved in Hancock County could face fines of between $5,000 and $25,000, or confinement in a state correctional facility for one to three years, or both, authorities report.
"I have zero tolerance for any individual who makes any such threats in Hancock County," Dragisich said. "The safety and security of the teachers, students and citizens of Hancock County are of paramount importance to me. Accordingly, any individual, whether a juvenile or an adult, making any similar terroristic threats will be charged and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
If you see something, say something. Those words became more common in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and they have been relevant ever since. They remain crucial today, Abdalla added.
"We, as parents, better wake up and be more vigilant about the type of social media platforms our kids are utilizing, the type of content that they're viewing as well as sending via social media," Abdalla said. "And the first time you look at your child's phone shouldn't be the day the sheriff's department shows up at your door. And parents have got to talk to their kids and explain to them that when they see a threat, report it immediately -- don't screen shot it and share it. Report it immediately so we can get to work and see where the threat originated."
Parents, students, teachers, administrators, school resource officers -- everyone -- must be vigilant and unafraid to report possible threats.