Of the about two dozen student arrests thus far this school year related to Columbia County schools, 15 occurred in the days following the Sept. 4 shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, in which two students and two teachers lost their lives.
Following the shooting, which resulted in a 14-year-old student charged with killing four people, Columbia County schools confirmed more than a dozen threat incidents with multiple student arrests.
Columbia County Sheriff's Office jail records showed arrests on charges of weapons or terroristic threats all occurred after the Apalachee High shooting, accounting for 13 of the 25 total arrests. In a recent public forum, district officials addressed the verbal threats by suggesting parents speak to their kids about their behavior at school and potential consequences.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, here is a list of the Columbia County students who were arrested so far this school year:
- Aug. 5: 16-year-old male Evans High School student charged with felony drug possession and distribution;
- Aug. 20: 17-year-old male student, school unknown, charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass;
- Aug. 21: 17-year-old male Harlem High School student charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass;
- Aug. 22: 16-year-old female Evans High School student charged with felony drug possession and distribution;
- Aug. 22: 17-year-old female student, school unknown, charged with felony drug possession;
- Aug. 28: 18-year-old male Americus High School student charged with a felony and misdemeanor after a bench warrant was issued for him;
- Aug. 30: 15-year-old male Harlem High School student charged with felony drug possession;
- Aug. 30: 16-year-old male Harlem High School student charged with felony drug possession;
- Aug. 30: 17-year-old male Harlem High School student charged with felony drug possession;
- Sept. 3: 14-year-old male student, school unknown, charged with felony drug possession and distribution;
- Sept. 4: 16-year-old male student, school unknown, charged with felony terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 5: 15-year-old male Lakeside High School student charged with felony robbery;
- Sept. 6: 11-year-old male Riverside Middle School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 6: 12-year-old female Stallings Island Middle School student charged with felony weapon on school grounds;
- Sept. 10: 15-year-old male Grovetown High School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts and misdemeanor battery;
- Sept. 12: 12-year-old female student, school unknown, charged with terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 16: 13-year-old female Columbia Middle School student charged with felony weapon (knife) on school grounds ;
- Sept. 18: 14-year-old male Grovetown Middle School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts ;
- Sept. 18: 15-year-old male Greenbrier High School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 18: 11-year-old male Lakeside Middle School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 19: 16-year-old male Lakeside High School student charged with felony aggravated assault ;
- Sept: 19: 11-year-old male Grovetown Middle School student charged with felony weapon (knife) on school grounds ;
- Sept. 19: 13-year-old female Grovetown Middle School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts;
- Sept. 19: 14-year-old male student, school unknown, charged with felony terroristic threats and acts; and,
- Sept. 23: 11-year-old Harlem Middle School student charged with felony terroristic threats and acts.
Previous report: Threats, weapons reported at Columbia County schools in wake of shooting at Apalachee High
Columbia County schools provide more details on new emergency system
At a school district forum at Grovetown High School on Thursday , officials shared plans to implement an emergency system, similar to the one used by teachers during the Apalachee High School shooting, in Columbia County schools.
A classroom audio enhancement system has been installed in every Columbia County school, but the district is adding the SAFE component, which will allow for employees to activate the school's emergency notification system for immediate response, according to the district.
The SAFE component is currently active in a few middle schools, but instillation at other schools has already started and the district said it plans to have the system implemented at all schools by the end of the school year.
Officials noted teachers will be the first to be equipped, followed by other school staff. All staff will participate in a training process with checks and balances to become familiar with the new system.
The SAFE system differs from the one being used in Richmond County schools, which recently was accidentally triggered by a teacher at The Academy of Richmond County.
On Sept. 6, the ARC teacher "accidentally triggered a hard lockdown of the school through a personal safety device" while handling a "severe disruption" in the classroom, according to school system records. As a result, the lights in the school turned off and computers showed an alert message for less than five minutes.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Student arrests in Columbia County for terroristic threats spike after Apalachee shooting
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