Parents react after Greenbrier student arrested for Sept. 13 school threat

GREENBRIER, Ark. – Parents, students and school officials are sharing fearful feelings and frustration in a central Arkansas community after the arrest of a student.

The Greenbrier Police Department took a 13-year-old eighth-grader into custody after making a threat against the city’s junior high on Sept. 13. Officials said the teen is facing a terroristic threatening charge.

A statement from the Greenbrier School District says while at school, the student said, “I am going to shoot up the school.”

Officials said that the School Resource Officer was notified of the threat and that safety protocols were followed. Greenbrier Police Chief Buster Locklayer said other students were sent home for sharing a separate threatening post, but they were not charged.

Community members reacted to news of the student being taken into custody.

“I’m definitely worried, his dad is worried, my son is worried,” one Greenbrier parent said.

One parent of a junior high student has kept her child home.

“He has not been to school since Monday,” the parent said.

The student is one of 12 arrested over the last few weeks for making threats against central Arkansas schools, creating concern among Arkansas families.

Rachel Hart Smith is a parent of a student in central Arkansas.

“In my heart, I hope these are just copycat threats trying to get attention, and so we need to get to the root of why they need attention,” Smith said.

She said everyone plays a role in making sure students are safe.

“The grown-ups need to take accountability for this as well. We need to be monitoring the social activity, reporting it when we see it; that way we can avoid it,” Smith said.

Smith also says being proactive instead of reactive is needed in Arkansas, especially regarding gun storage and laws.

“No parent should send their child up to school and worry that they won’t be able to pick them up that day. That is my biggest concern,” Smtih said.

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