Last night, a threat was received via social media regarding Annie Belle Clark Elementary School. System security personnel immediately notified local law enforcement, who promptly engaged the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
All agencies worked collaboratively throughout the night to investigate and identify the source of the threat. As a result of these efforts, earlier this morning a student was taken into custody by the Tifton Police Department.
Tift County Schools takes every threat very seriously. Any report of a threat—regardless of how it is received—is immediately investigated in partnership with law enforcement. We urge parents and guardians to take this opportunity to speak with their children about appropriate and inappropriate ways to express their feelings, the seriousness of making threats, and the potential consequences of their statements. Additionally, we urge parents to limit and/or monitor student’s usage of social media, which is often a common denominator in such situations.
We sincerely appreciate the swift response and diligence of our school staff for prompt notification of our system director of security, and our Director of System Security for his immediate activation of local and federal law enforcement partners. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for all students and staff.
Any further questions regarding this incident should be directed to the Tifton Police Department.