2 middle-school students charged after making threats linked to TikTok trend, police say
Two Horry County middle school students have been charged after making threats on social media, officials said.
Two Forestbrook Middle School students were charged in connection to social media posts showing a student with a handgun and captions referring to a shooting, according to the Horry County Police Department.
The charges correlate with a TikTok trend linked to threats made at schools across the country, officials said.
The students were charged with unlawful communication and student threats, according to a text message from Horry County Police Department spokesperson Mikayla Moskov.
In state statutes, student threats are defined as “threats to take the life of or to inflict bodily harm upon another” made by a school or college student.
Unlawful communication is defined as a threat made via telephone or other electronic means “with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass another person.”
“As you may already know, we have experienced a recent increase in school threats made on social media,” begins a Facebook post made by the Horry County Police Department.
The Facebook post goes on to state that local law enforcement will beef up presence at Horry County schools Friday.
Horry County Schools spokesperson Lisa Bourcier said the social media trend originated with TikTok posts that include shooting and bombing threats made at schools across the country dated Dec. 17.
“It’s definitely alarming, especially after a mass school shooting like you had in Oxford,” Bourcier said. “People are nervous.”
Bourcier said law enforcement agencies are investigating other social media posts “that have been circulating in our school communities.”
Bourcier said it was “likely there could be additional charges today” brought against Horry County Schools students who made threats.
Moskov told The Sun News she could not say whether or not there would be additional charges.
“We continue to investigate any potential threats that are reported to us. It would be impossible for me to say at this time if that will result in any more charges,” Moskov wrote in a text message.
Bourcier said entrances at all middle and high schools in the district are equipped with walk-through metal detectors. There are also mental health counselors at all the schools, she said.
“Everybody is very vigilant. It’s going to be a busy day,” Bourcier said.
