Southwest Middle School Student Facing Felony Charges After Sending Threat On Snapchat

CHARLOTTE, NC.–On Wednesday, there were a string of threats against several schools in Charlotte. A 14-year-old girl is facing felony charges for one of those threats. Police say that girl is a Southwest Middle School student. She sent the threat on Snapchat. CMS sent a message to families saying in part — “all threats, even casual or passed off as jokes, will be investigated and prosecuted aggressively.”

Jerrell Hudson goes to Southwest Middle School, he said walking through the halls of his school Thursday, his stomach was churning.

“Nobody was like really here, it was just like a majority was like scared,” says Hudson.

Hudson says there were only two people in one of his classes, and all after-school activities were canceled. Police say a 14-year-old Southwest Middle School student posted a threat on Snapchat. She is charged with making a false report of mass violence on school property — which is a felony.

“It really makes me feel comfortable taking my kid to school that they are doing their due diligence of protecting their students,” says parent of Southwest Middle School student Latoya Moore.

Jerrell’s mom says she an email from the school about the threat last night and felt comfortable sending her son to school.

“I was talking to my child on the way to school saying mommy feels confident that you’re going to be okay, I’m right up the road, call me I will be here and that was why mommy made him go to school,” says Moore.

On Wednesday a string of violent incidents happened at other CMS schools. A South Mecklenburg High School student brought a gun on the campus. Police say he left it in his car while he was at baseball practice. Psychologist Dr. Kristin Daley says kids pay attention to how much media coverage these kinds of stories get.

“When there’s a lot of attention, and a lot of media attention, there’s always a tendency to have copycats,” says Dr. Daley.

She says social media can stir the pot for more threats, especially when children don’t fully understand the consequences.

“There’s going to be more people who are concerned about me, there’s going to be more people afraid for me or afraid for my school.”