Tupelo Police Chief Issues Serious Warning for Parents about Firearms & Social Media

The Tupelo Police Department is raising concerns about seeing posts on social media where children and teens are flaunting firearms. This, they say, "is contributing to a culture of violence and posing significant safety risks"

Seized gun by Tupelo PDPhoto bytupelo pd

This warning comes just after a school shooting in Georgia where a 14 year old used a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at his Winder, which is just outside of Atlanta, high school. The purpetrator, Colt Gray, has been charged with four counts of murder for the incident, and in addition, his father has also been charged with second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. This is an attempt by prosecutors to hold parents accountable for allowing children to have access to firearms. According to reports, the teenager threatened the very thing that he did a year ago, and his father allegedly was questioned and lied about Colt having access to guns.

The Tupelo Police Department has already logged 226 guns into evidence this year in Tupelo, according to a statement released on their Facebook page.

Seized gun by Tupelo PDPhoto bytupelo pd

"These videos are not just harmless displays; they are leading to real-world consequences," said Tupelo Police Deputy Chief Anthony Hill. "Young people who brandish firearms in these posts are either showing off weapons they shouldn’t have or promoting a dangerous gun culture."

In their statement, Tupelo PD also stated that "communities across the nation are grappling with the growing intersection of social media and gun violence and that they Tupelo Police has seen a rise in minors posting videos and pictures with firearms, often in an attempt to gain credibility or intimidate others."

Gun seized by Tupelo PDPhoto bytupelo pd

Additionally, they say that social media disputes have caused an increase in reckless behavior involving firearms that have escalated to criminal behavior.

"What starts as an online feud can quickly escalate to a real-world shooting," said Detective Captain Paul Hendrix, adding that peer pressure and the desire for social media attention are fueling this behavior among young people.

"The risks are not only legal but also life-threatening," said Captain Hendrix. "We urge parents to take an active role in understanding what their children are posting and who they’re engaging with online.”

“It is imperative that the police and community come together and work together to address one of the most important issue of our time, gun violence,” said Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka.