News

14-year-old charged with threat that forced lockdown

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 5, 2018

Sheriff's deputies on Monday charged a 14-year-old student with making a threat via Instagram that resulted in an hour-long lockdown of the Innovative High School on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.

Authorities placed the school on a “Code Yellow” or soft lockdown at 12:40 p.m.. A student notified administrators and shared with them a threat that allegedly popped up on his Instagram account during class. After an investigation by school administrators and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, it was determined that the student reporting the message was the one who had made it. The student was charged with “Communicating a Threat of Mass Violence at an Educational Facility,” which is a Class H felony. The student was charged as a juvenile and released to the custody of his parent. At no time were any students in danger and the lockdown was lifted at 1:25 p.m.