11-year-old charged in threat at Vine Middle School

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An 11-year-old boy has been charged with making a threat of mass violence after an investigation into a threat at Vine Middle School, Knoxville Police said.

According to the Knoxville Police Department, Tuesday afternoon, a KPD School Resource Officer responded to the school to investigate a report that a student, identified as a 11-year-old boy, had made a school-shooting threat.

Following the investigation, detectives with the KPD Violent Crimes Unit responded to the student’s home to conduct a home visit. No weapons were found during the visit and detectives were told the boy did not have access to weapons.

Knoxville police said that after consulting with the Knox County District Attorney’s Office, the boy was charged for making a threat of mass violence and was taken into custody Tuesday evening.

KPD added that this threat is not believed to be related to the other school-related threats that have been circulating on social media. Just after 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said a 7th grade West Valley Middle School student had been charged in those threats.

Last week, two Halls High School students were also charged with making threats of mass violence. Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler held a press conference at the high school urging parents to talk to their children after several threats were made against Halls High and Halls Middle Schools.

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