Rutherford County Sheriff's Office: School Threats Update

Rutherford County -- September 15, 2024: Rutherford County Sheriff's Office: School Threats Update

As with all school threats, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and Rutherford County Schools worked together this week investigated every threat that was made against our schools and any other rumors that resulted from those threats. Thankfully, the investigations revealed that there were no credible threats to any of our schools.

However, the crime of communicating the threat of mass violence to a school is a very serious offense that not only threatens the safety of our schools but disrupts the learning environment and places fear in everyone. These threats have always, and always will be taken seriously! With the magnitude of damage these types of cases inflict, the Sheriff’s Office will always pursue criminal charges against those responsible.

A criminal investigation was initiated as soon as the threats were discovered. Naturally, the immediate protection of the schools’ students, faculty, and staff was the top priority followed by investigative activities to attempt to identify those involved with the threats. The investigation revealed more than one juvenile was identified as having involvement in maliciously creating and spreading the threats. At no time during these investigations were any firearms located on, or credible information discovered as firearms having been on any of our school properties. The investigation is continuing, and the case is being prepared for prosecution.

As with any criminal investigation involving juveniles, juvenile information cannot be released and charges in these matters are being sought through the Department of Juvenile Justice.

We would like to give a huge thank you to Rutherford County Schools for their continued partnership in keeping our schools safe! We would also like to thank the Rutherfordton Police Department for their assistance in the initial investigation at RS Middle School as well as the Forest City Police Department and Spindale Police Department for their assistance in providing extra security to multiple schools throughout the day on Friday September 13th!

With cases such as this it is common for misinformation to occur and be disseminated as factual. This misinformation we choose to believe to be unintentional and innocent rather than purposely malicious. Either way it is damaging to the trust the citizens place in professional government and professional law enforcement in Rutherford County.
For clarification of the sequence of events and to alleviate any concern regarding future similar critical events, the following information is included below. The Sheriff’s Office is committed to seek to work unified with our local law enforcement partners in any and all crisis situations.

The initial threats were specific to two schools, one close to Rutherfordton. A Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer (SRO) and sworn School System Investigator met with officers from the Rutherfordton Police Department during the early evening hours of Thursday, September 12, 2024, and exchanged information each had received regarding the threat. As with other similar past situations, the Rutherfordton Officers were eager to assist and were present at one of the threatened schools during the early morning hours of Friday, September 13, 2024. We appreciate the commitment from these officers and from others who partner with the Sheriff’s Office on a regular basis to ensure the safety of the citizens of the various jurisdictions,

We will always take threats to the safety of our children and citizens seriously.