Student, 12, admits to making shooting threat, officials say

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A 12-year-old middle school student in Georgetown County admitted to making school threats during a Thursday hearing in family court.

The student was arrested and taken to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia after it was reported that he sent a text that contained a photo of himself holding a weapon with a high-capacity magazine, threatening to shoot classmates at Carvers Bay Middle School.

The message was reported to school officials by several students.

Officials say the juvenile admitted to making the threat during a juvenile detention hearing in Georgetown County Family Court.

The juvenile told Judge Melissa Buchanan that he was being bullied at the school and over-reacted. Judge Buchanan ordered a community evaluation for the 12 year old.

According to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, the state recommended the juvenile stay in custody for a secure evaluation at the Department of Juvenile Justice before sentencing.

Judge Buchanan denied the request and “ordered his psychiatric evaluation, adherence to the rules of his supervision, and continuing education be based from home under DJJ supervision,” GCSO said.

The sheriff’s office kept the weapon used in the photo.

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