UPDATE: Child charged, expelled after threat against Causey Middle School

UPDATE (2:51 p.m.): A Mobile County Public School board member has confirmed that a sixth-grader was arrested and charged in connection with social media threats against Causey Middle School.

School Board Member Johnny Hatcher said the school system learned of the threat around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Two TikTok accounts appeared to make direct threats to the school.

Four hours later, Hatcher said the sixth-grader was arrested and charged with Making a Terrorist Threat in the Second Degree.

The school was placed on close patrols by the Mobile Police Department following the threat.

“The first time that you dismiss one of these, it comes back to bite you in the butt. I’m not going to let that happen,” Hatcher said. “You can’t be too cautious.”

According to Hatcher, the suspect’s parents gave police permission to search the home where the suspect lives. Hatcher says no firearms were found.

“I think this child did it because they didn’t want to go to school, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be held accountable for your actions,” Hatcher said. “Heaven forbid that child had gotten a gun and gotten into our schools. At that point, that child may not be leaving there.”

The threat came less than a week after a school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., left four dead and nine injured.

“Let me tell you something, if somebody comes onto our campuses to harm one of our children, I’ve made no bones about it, I don’t want them leaving on their own power,” Hatcher said.

According to Hatcher, the student is expelled from MCPSS. Following their arrest, Hatcher said the student was released back into the custody of their parents.

The Mobile Police Department declined to comment as the case involves a juvenile.

ORIGINAL STORY:

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Police are investigating a threat made against Causey Middle School, according to a Facebook post from the school .

The school says police have arrested the person believed to be responsible. Classes will be held during normal school hours at Causey Middle School on Monday with extra security out of “an abundance of caution.”

The post did not identify the person responsible for the threat. Screenshots being passed around on social media indicate the threat may have come from a TikTok account.

We have reached out to Mobile Police for more information on the threat and are waiting to hear back.  We’ll continue to update this article with new information as we get it.

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