On Friday, December 7 at approximately 6:00 a.m., a Charles County Sheriff’s school resource officer was notified of a social media post containing a threat to North Point High School later that day.
Officers were able to quickly identify the person who posted the message and made contact with him and a parent. The suspect, a 16-year-old male, indicated the post was a joke.
He was charged with making threats of mass violence and school disturbance.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office works closely with Charles County Public Schools to help keep schools safe and secure. Through the SRO program, sworn police officers work with the school administrative staff on a daily basis to enhance safety at schools. The CCSO has been working with Charles County Public Schools and administrators to remind students about the dangers of making threats, the disruption they cause and the consequences for anyone identified as having posted a threat to the safety of a school or community. As a reminder, parents are asked to talk with their children about the implications of making threats and encourage them to report information immediately.
According to Md. CRIMINAL LAW Code Ann. § 3-1001, making threats of mass violence can result in the following penalties upon conviction: Imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. Additionally, a court can order a person to reimburse the appropriate unit of federal, state, or local government or other person for expenses and losses incurred in responding to the unlawful threat.
