HIRAM, Ga. -- Authorities have arrested a teen in connection with at least some of the school shooting threats made in Paulding County over a 24-hour period.
School threats led to an increased police presence at multiple as officials worked to track down the source. On Friday afternoon, they announced the arrest of a 14-year-old Paulding High School student for threats at that school. This comes after multiple threats on social media and also some written on walls at two local schools. But police have not yet connected the suspect to incidents at the other schools.
"We have not been able to substantiate any of that so no arrests were made at North Paulding nor have there been any arrests at Hiram High School," Paulding County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Henson said. "Deputies have looked into those thoroughly and they will continue to look into those."
The principal of North Paulding High School sent out a note to parents, Thursday, saying the threat warned of a shooting on May 5. Concerns were so severe that school had only 4 percent attendance on Friday which was also the day they would be having prom. Due to the circumstances, the school waved an attendance requirement to attend the dance.
Another letter was later released by officials at Hiram High School regarding two threats written on the walls of that school. Authorities said the messages warned of a shooting on May 8.
"At the Hiram High School incident, we do have some possible leads and we hope to continue working on those into the weekend and early into next week," Henson said.
While officials don't believe the threats were valid, Hiram High School Principal Misty Cooksey reminded parents to have a conversation with their children about the seriousness of communicating these messages.
"Please remind them that there are no 'jokes' when it comes to the safety of our students and staff," Cooksey said. "ALL threats are serious, and have real and very significant consequences at the school and with law enforcement."
Paulding County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Henson reiterated the seriousness of such threats as he announced the teen suspect's arrest and the charge he now faces.
The teen now faces a charge of dissemination of information relating to terroristic threats acts.
"It's a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature," Henson said.
As a juvenile, the teen was booked, fingerprinted and released to his parents ahead of a juvenile court appearance in the next week. Henson said the suspect had no prior record.
The school system is working with the Paulding County Sheriff's Office to investigate the other threats.
