Forsyth high school student arrested for Snapchat threat

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - A Forsyth County high school increased security one day after deputies arrested a student following a post on Snapchat.

A screengrab of the alleged post included the chilling message: "RIP half of Lambert."

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office shared the screengrab of the alleged threat to Lambert High School with FOX 5 News. In it, you can clearly see a student that authorities now identify as 18-year-old Joshua Zelonka.

This message coupled with students allegedly overhearing Zelonka making similar statements in the hallway prompted teens to alert school administrators and authorities to take action immediately, according to investigators.

Students said they were warned over the intercom to stay in their classrooms, but rumors had already started circling.

"I definitely knew a couple of people who were afraid. We just didn't know," Lambert High School student Tyler Wright said. "Anything could happen."

Within 30 minutes or so school officials said they knew Zelonka did not have access to weapons. Deputies arrested the student, charging him with disruption of a public school, a misdemeanor.

While the case is still under investigation, both school officials and the sheriff's office say they couldn't be more pleased to see their "see something, say something" message working. 

Students told FOX 5 News that being a kid these days is not easy. Possible threats and rumors of violence at school are always top of mind.

"Our generation is different than our parents' ... wondering if it'll happen again at one of our schools," student Sydney Havrilla said. "You don't know and that's what's scary about it."

Because of his age, Zelonka is being held as an adult on a $1,100 bond.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the charges against Zelonka as a felony, based on mistaken information provided by a spokesman for the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. We regret the error.