Rash of threats have multiple Greenville County schools on edge; one student detained

A Greenville County high school student has been charged with making threats to “shoot up” his school, as the school district and law enforcement grappled with threats at four other schools Monday.

Parents contacted J.L. Mann High School officials, the school district and law enforcement over the weekend after seeing a threat on social media that a student was planning to “shoot up” the school at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Tim Waller, Greenville County school spokesman, said in an email message Monday morning before school started that a suspect had been identified and would be charged.

He referred questions about the suspect to Greenville Police.

Sgt. Johnathan Bragg, spokesman for Greenville Police, said the 15-year-old suspect was taken into custody Monday morning and charged with student threats.

Waller sent a subsequent message Monday morning saying other schools had received threats as well.

“While there’s a possibility these threats could be linked, each is taken seriously and investigated thoroughly,” he said. “Law enforcement and additional district personnel are onsite at the schools in keeping with our emergency response plan.”

He said he did not think any of the schools were on lockdown.

Waller identified the other schools as Berea High School, Southside High School, Hughes Academy, which is a middle school, and Mauldin Middle School.