One Charged, More Arrests To Come In Social Media Shooting Threat Against Middle School In Atmore

February 27, 2020

One juvenile has been arrested in connection with a social media threat against Escambia County Middle School in Atmore, Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson confirmed. Jackson said more juvenile arrests are expected to come.

The name of the juvenile arrested Thursday morning has not been released as the investigation continues.

There was a strong law enforcement presence at Escambia County Middle School in Atmore on Thursday in response to an alleged threat made on social media on Wednesday.

In a post widely shared, someone wrote that “I will be shooting up the shooting up the school tomorrow I will hurt everybody”, and it continues with a list of student names and the name of a staff member (redacted from the image).

“We are aware of the threats that have been made in reference to the Escambia County Middle School,” the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office responded. “Our office, along with the Atmore Police Department are addressing this issue and will have a strong law enforcement presence at the schools tomorrow.”

The Escambia County (AL) Schools acknowledged the threat, saying that there will be Escambia County deputies and Atmore police officers on campus “to provide security and support”, and that school staff will have extra safety measures in place. The school district also vowed that law enforcement will continue to investigate until the responsible persons are located.

“Ensuring the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority and we will continue close communication with local law enforcement,” the school district posted.

Anyone with information on the threat is asked to call the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 867-0304 or the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.

NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

24 Responses to “One Charged, More Arrests To Come In Social Media Shooting Threat Against Middle School In Atmore”

  1. Sedition on February 28th, 2020 6:32 pm

    @fisherman

    You COULD be right. Many states are non-registration states, so the government can only estimate how many they THINK we have.

  2. John on February 28th, 2020 3:42 pm

    @ Safebear. Watch a documentary about Pol Pot in Cambodia and hopefully you’ll change your mind because law abiding citizens are not the problem. Escambia County has a higher violent crime rate than most counties in Florida.

  3. CindyBo on February 28th, 2020 11:34 am

    It’s not gun control that is needed. Taking away guns and making them illegal is not the answer. Street drugs are illegal, right? Thank goodness our country doesn’t have a drug problem! Yes I’m just making a point, drugs can be found anywhere if you are looking for it and it is really sad. What am I saying? I am saying if someone wants to go on a shooting rampage and if guns were illegal, they will make a way and get one, and most likely buy one off the street! I have a gun and it’s my right as a homeowner! Let’s put God back into the schools!

  4. Bigblock345 on February 28th, 2020 10:25 am

    There’s an idea. Let’s ban guns. They are mean and scary. Melt them all down. Hell, let’s burn books too. Too many thoughts and ideas that confound my candyland ideals. Stay alert, be aware of your surroundings, stay alive. I do what I have to to keep my family and friends safe. It burns me up when COWARDS want to limit me and mines RIGHTS and FREEDOMS because they can’t control their FEELINGS.

  5. Gina on February 28th, 2020 10:15 am

    i go to this school

  6. fisherman on February 28th, 2020 10:05 am

    @Safebear
    Guns are not the problem it’s the people.If you took every gun owned by law abiding citizens I guarantee you 100% that all these shootings would continue we would not be safe.I suppose Safebear you don’t own any firearms and for Sedation there are 393 million guns in the United States enough for every man woman and child with 67 million left over that is from a report done in 2018.

  7. sam on February 28th, 2020 9:20 am

    someone with intentions of doing something like this is not going to tell about it. just a spoiled kid with no common sense. parenting may come into question.

  8. john on February 28th, 2020 7:34 am

    If I got a spanking at school that usually ment I received another when I got home.

  9. john on February 28th, 2020 7:31 am

    I can still remember the spankings I got in school. School shootings were non existent. Very seldom there was a fight, if there was, it was mostly over a girl.

  10. Sedition on February 28th, 2020 7:07 am

    @Safebear:

    “I have an idea – why don’t we let everyone have unlimited access to guns so everybody can protect themselves regardless of age….But wait a minute – that’s pretty much the way it is. We need some kind of gun control. There are already more guns in the United States than there are people.”

    Cite your sources or rescind your lies.

  11. Knew it on February 28th, 2020 6:53 am

    I knew there’d be some fool come in and start spouting off about gun control. We don’t need gun control, we need people who know how to control guns! I’ve been around them my whole life and not a single one of mine has ever hurt anyone(short of a relative getting a half-moon above his eye from not knowing how to shoot with a scope) the people who are misusing guns will make others suffer for it.

  12. Safebear on February 27th, 2020 7:49 pm

    Not sure what it is about this week but this is happening all over the country. Big cities, little towns, rural, urban – everywhere.

    I have an idea – why don’t we let everyone have unlimited access to guns so everybody can protect themselves regardless of age….But wait a minute – that’s pretty much the way it is. We need some kind of gun control. There are already more guns in the United States than there are people.

  13. Bama54 on February 27th, 2020 7:06 pm

    How many time have warnings been put out there, and no one pays attention?? Most of the school shootings have been advised by the shooter. Wake up people the attitude of “Oh I’m sorry it will never happen to me will get you in serious trouble.”

  14. Beverly Knighten on February 27th, 2020 12:36 pm

    If you don’t start disciplining your kids when they are very young this kind of stuff is what they grow into.

  15. Richard Wooten on February 27th, 2020 12:13 pm

    I remember having friends with guns in their gun tracks in their trucks at school. . The problem is these punks aren’t getting the discipline at home. Stop bowing down to your child. Stop comforting them over a scratch. Stop giving out trophies for showing up. Teach them to stand up to bullies. I guarantee this pink git his feelings hurt and this is the only way they know how to react.

  16. Bewildered on February 27th, 2020 11:03 am

    Kids are playing adults because they are able to! Take Okaloosa County: A teacher shoves a middle schooler out of his class room because he absolutely refuses to obey and looses his job. Society cheers instead of demanding that this disruptive brat is taught a lesson! We are digging ourselves deeper and deeper in a hole the more liberal our attitudes become

  17. tg on February 27th, 2020 10:54 am

    When you find out who this is prosacute to the fullest.

  18. E on February 27th, 2020 10:06 am

    My children will be attending school today. I agree with others. It is doubtful that any serious person will give an exact time and place in warning. To each their own.

  19. Jackson on February 27th, 2020 9:52 am

    Same thing happened at Ernest Ward last week

  20. sam on February 27th, 2020 9:21 am

    always something goin on over there.

  21. Esc co leo on February 27th, 2020 9:13 am

    @ Keisha

    If you teach your children to live in fear, they will be victims their entire lives.

  22. Alma mcdaniel on February 27th, 2020 8:31 am

    I think kids do this to get out of going to school.

  23. CW on February 27th, 2020 6:06 am

    I doubt anyone who’s actually serious about doing something like this is going to give a warning.

  24. Keisha on February 27th, 2020 3:28 am

    My children are not going to school no matter how many officers they have there…they will be safe at home with me