Atlanta Public School heightens campus security Thursday after threats
ATLANTA - Students at Atlanta Public Schools will head to class on Thursday morning with increased security.
On Wednesday evening, school officials said that APS police, like their counterparts in many school districts, have been investigating a series of threats since the Apalachee High School shooting, which claimed the lives of two students and two teachers and injured nine others.
"Although none have been deemed credible, we take every threat seriously and our APS Police Department investigates them to the fullest," read a statement in part.
On Wednesday night, FOX 5 received multiple calls from concerned parents and guardians who reported that an email about the increased security on Thursday had been sent home by the district.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we will continue to partner with APD and Fulton County to increase law enforcement presence as much as possible," APS confirmed to FOX 5.
School officials are asking everyone to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious. They add that all possible measures will be taken to keep the school environment safe during this time of unease.
Threats towards schools following Georgia shooting
Threats against metro Atlanta schools have been on the rise since the violence in Barrow County.
Authorities say they have investigated hundreds of threats posted on various social media sites in the last week.
So far, more than a dozen people ranging from 12 to 26 years old have been arrested across metro Atlanta and charged with terroristic threats after officials say they spread false information about active shooters or made threats online.
In Troup County, school leaders addressed an uptick of threats at a news conference Wednesday night.
Officials said they've investigated four separate threats of violence against its schools in the days after the Apalachee High School shooting.
One of those threats resulted in an arrest.
"These threats have casued a disruption of learning and unneccessary distraction. I want to be very, very clear - these actions are not going to be tolerated by our school system or by law enforcement," Troup County School Superintendant Dr. Rachel Hazel said.
In Gwinnett County, the FBI says at least nine students have been taken into custody for making threats toward schools. Many of them now face felony charges.
Officials are asking parents and guardians to check their children’s bookbags, review their social media habits, and talk to their kids about how making threats, even in jest, is unacceptable.