Teen made threat to shoot up Midlands high school. It wasn’t his first, cops say

A 14-year-old student was charged after threatening to shoot up a Sumter County high school, a threat that he told deputies had to do with bullying.

A threat against Lakewood High School was posted on social media Sunday night, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. In a screenshot of the threat provided by the sheriff’s office, the poster expressed frustration over possibly being “charged with conspiracy after saying I wanna kill people and shootup [sic] lakewood.”

Deputies say a 14-year-old middle school student is in custody for the threat; however, there was no word Monday morning on charges.

“We take all threats very seriously,” Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in a release. “We do not feel that he had the means or capability to carry out this threat. However, as a precaution, we have extra deputies at the school today.”

The student, who is not being identified because of his age, was taken to the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the sheriff’s office.

“He told us that the threat was regarding bullying at school, and we are investigating that, too,” Dennis said.

This is the second time the student has posted a threat against Lakewood High on Facebook, according to the sheriff’s office.

“He made a similar threat before,” Dennis said.

It was not immediately clear if the student faced any charges for the first threat.