UPDATED: Holmes School District taking extra precautions after Poplar Springs threat

UPDATE:

The juvenile who made the threat is now in custody.

Holmes County School District released this statement late Sunday night:

“Due to the diligent work of the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff John Tate, School Resource Officers, and School Board personnel, the individual responsible for text message threats directed toward students at Poplar Springs School is currently in custody.”

Holmes District Schools will be in session on Monday, November 29, during their regular times along with any scheduled extracurricular activities.

EARLIER STORY:

Schools in the Holmes County district will be under “heightened security” when classes resume Monday, Nov. 29, following a threat received Sunday.

According to a report from the Holmes County School District, the district received notification on Sunday from local mental health agencies and local law enforcement of a text to a suicide prevention hotline that had been received earlier in the day.  During the course of the text, the caller identified themselves as a juvenile, giving other details about themselves and informing the counselor they were contemplating suicide.  Officials say the individual also indicated they may commit a number of acts to include self-harm, and they had a “hit list” of students they identified as Poplar Springs School students.  No last names were used, and some of the names given are considered “common” first names. Officials say they contact parents of Poplar Springs students whose names may have matched the information provided.

An immediate investigation was initiated to include matching names of possible students from both Poplar Springs and other schools within the district.  Officials say the situation is currently under investigation, and no further details will be given at this time; however, the threat is not considered to be “credible.”

“At this time, it is not believed to be a credible threat due to the current state of affairs of the ongoing investigation and information that has been analyzed and investigated,” the schools district stated in a press release. “Due to this being an active investigation no further comments will be released unless there is pertinent information to be shared.”

Holmes District Schools will be in session as usual on Monday. Out of an abundance of caution, schools will be under a heightened security status during the day to include additional security procedures to be activated, which includes but is not limited to an increased law enforcement presence.