Texas juvenile responsible for 2 Southwest Georgia bomb threats
DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) -The GBI has identified a twelve-year-old Texas juvenile as the individual responsible for two bomb threat hoaxes made to schools in southwest Georgia last week.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Miller County Middle School received a message sent to the school’s Facebook account that claimed a bomb was on campus. In response, all Miller County Schools closed for the day. The Miller County Sheriff’s Office responded and requested GBI assistance. GBI bomb technicians cleared the school without finding anything of concern while other agents and intelligence analysts worked to identify the source of the message.
The next day, staff at Spring Creek Charter Academy in Bainbridge, Georgia discovered an email sent to an administrator that claimed a bomb was on campus, similar to the Miller County threat the day before. Again, the school closed for the day, the Sheriff’s Office responded, GBI’s assistance was requested, and the school was cleared without finding anything of concern.
After tracking the messages and conducting multiple interviews, it was determined a twelve-year-old juvenile made both threats from Texas.
There is no indication of any recent travel to Georgia by the juvenile, nor is there any indication there was ever a legitimate safety risk at either school.
After consulting with Texas authorities and the District Attorneys for the South Georgia and Pataula Judicial Circuits, the juvenile will be prosecuted for these threats by the State of Texas. Additional local charges may be brought if the investigation identifies any others who assisted or conspired in the making of these hoaxes.
The success of this investigation is the result of the immediate response and coordination by local and state law enforcement and the involved school districts.
Anyone with information is asked to call the GBI Thomasville Office at 229-225-4090. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Previous coverage:
- Miller County Schools closed Wednesday after bomb threat made to campus
- Spring Creek Charter Academy closes Thursday due to bomb threat, superintendent says
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