15-year-old identified as suspect in Tallapoosa County school threats
TALLAPOOSA CO., AL (WSFA) - A 15-year-old female student has been taken into custody after threats were made towards two Tallapoosa County Schools.
The alert came in around 10 Monday night, threats against Reeltown Elementary and the high school; the first since Joe Windle became superintendent six years ago.
"And just ask the question, 'What are you thinking?'" said Tallapoosa County Public Schools Superintendent Joe Windle.
WSFA 12 News obtained copies of the two threats allegedly made by the 15-year-old Reeltown High student. Using a fake name, the teen first said she'd planned to throw a bomb on both schools. A short time later, another threat, allegedly by the same girl, "I will be shooting up the Reeltown campus tomorrow at 8:30."
According to the Tallapoosa County Board of Education, the school board received threats on social media Monday night that were aimed at Reeltown Elementary and High School.
The board says the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's office was able to identify the source of the threats and the high school freshman was taken into custody early Tuesday morning.
When asked why the girl did this, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett had no answer.
"I don't know. It's one off those things.. who will ever know? One of those things that happened," Abbett said.
Abbett declined to say whether the teenager confessed. She is currently in juvenile detention in Tallapoosa County. There was no evidence she had planned out the threats.
Windle says while he doubted whether the student was serious, school district leaders can't afford to look away considering what's happening elsewhere in the country. He also said he's befuddled as to what part of the message some students aren't getting these days when it comes to social media. Windle says he plans to have an assembly at each of the five schools in the county to drive that point home.
"They have to make better decisions," said Windle.
Classes started on time at both schools Tuesday morning. No disruptions, no issues except for a teenager now in trouble with school leaders and the law.
Abbett says the teen suspect will have her first court hearing in juvenile court within 72 hours. The sheriff says once his team tracked down the source of the posts, the teen was arrested at her home at 5:15 this morning.
Although the student will have due process, she will likely be expelled, according to Superintendent Windle.
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