Follow-up: Schools Across the South Combat Threats Against Their Students – Two Teens Arrested in Rutherford County Schools

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN – Officials with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) announced Tuesday the arrest of two juveniles in connection with social media threats directed at local schools. The arrests come in the wake of a series of online threats that have heightened tensions and disrupted school operations across the county, leaving both parents and students on edge.

According to RCSO, more than a dozen threats have been made against schools in Rutherford County since the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia on September 4, 2024. That incident, which left two students and two staff members dead, has sent ripples throughout the South and raised safety concerns in school districts far beyond Georgia.

Locally, the teens responsible for the threats are currently facing serious charges, although no specific information on their identities and the nature of the threats has been released due to their age. However, the threats were reportedly directed at Whitworth Buchanan Middle School and Riverdale High School, both in the Murfreesboro area.

The RCSO said all cases involving threats are treated with the utmost seriousness, even if there is no credible evidence of an immediate threat to schools. Sheriff's deputies have increased patrols around local schools as a precautionary measure, and the district has stressed that student and staff safety remains its top priority.

Some students have posted past threats that have been circulating on social media since 2018. Learn more about how authorities are urging others not to repost potential threats they read and to instead notify law enforcement.

Franklin, Tennessee (State of Tennessee) – In Williamson County, Tennessee, the Franklin Police Department is offering the public the opportunity to learn how to prepare in the event of a rampage.

The department is hosting a free class on “Citizen Response to School Shootings.” This presentation will be held in the Franklin Police Department Community Room at 900 Columbia Ave.

“Unfortunately, mass shootings occur far too often in our country. Last week, a high school in Georgia and a stretch of highway in Kentucky were the most recent targets,” said Franklin Police Chief Deb Faulkner. “The ultimate goal of this course is to teach members of our community how to respond to a situation they hope they never have to experience.”

Interested parties can choose one of two dates: Tuesday, September 24th or Tuesday, October 8th. Both dates will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To participate, participants must register using this link.

Warren County, Tennessee – In Warren County, Tennessee, law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office issued a press release emphasizing the importance of any type of threat to a school. The words have been followed by actions: Two arrests have been made this year after alleged threats were made against local schools in Warren County and Van Buren County.

See what the Tennessee Sheriff's Association posted HERE.

MORE: At Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, a 14-year-old student reportedly opened fire earlier this month, on September 4, 2024, killing four people and injuring seven others. The tragic incident, which occurred about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, joins a long list of school shootings that have sent shockwaves across the country.

Apalachee High School, which serves about 1,900 students, is now the scene of a grim reflection of a problem that continues to plague America's education system. Authorities say the young suspect has been charged with quadruple murder, and more charges may follow as the investigation continues. The injured victims survived the initial attack but are still recovering from their gunshot wounds – leaving the community in fear and grief.

The tragedy has reignited the national conversation about school safety and the urgent need for change on multiple levels.