School threats on social media bring felony charges to three area students

Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter talking about what will happen to anyone that makes violent threats on social media during last Wednesday’s press conference. L-R: Columbia County School Superintendent Lex Carswell, Sheriff Hunter, Third Circuit State Attorney John Durrett and Assistant State Attorney Chase Larsen. -CCSO Photo

Law officials say enough is enough
WE WILL FIND YOU

By Tami Stevenson

Only four days after the mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on September 4, where four people were killed, social media threats to local schools began surfacing in our North Florida area.

It all began Sunday, September 8, when the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received several calls concerning threats of a school shooting in Madison County via social media posts. It didn’t take them long to track down the suspect. Around 11 p.m. that same evening they arrested 13-year-old Chadveon Rashard Cherry, a student at Madison County Central School. Cherry was charged with a 2nd degree felony and faces up to 15 years in prison. Cherry is currently being detained and in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice in Tallahassee Florida.

But that was just the beginning.

On Monday, September 9, a school threat posted on a social media account was reported to the School Resource Deputy at Fort White High School. After investigation, the resource deputy recognized the social media account user as a Fort White High student. After being brought in for questioning, the student admitted to posting the threat of a shooting on his Instagram account. He was identified as 17-year-old Christopher Smith Jr.

Smith was arrested that same day and also charged with a 2nd degree felony. Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said, “These social media posts will not be tolerated.”

On Tuesday, September 10, another school shooting threat was made on social media that specifically mentioned Fort White High School. Later that same evening suspect, 14-year-old Mya Jenkins, was arrested and admitted she made the post. Jenkins has also been charged with a 2nd degree felony.

Authorities believe the Columbia County threats to be separate from the Madison incident, but is still under investigation.
All students arrested could face up to 15 years in prison.

“It wasn’t just Columbia (and Madison County) that was affected by this,” said Hunter during a press conference with State Attorney John Durrett and Columbia County Superintendent of Schools Lex Carswell, Wednesday, September 11, at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Bay County, Escambia, Leon, Jefferson, Hillsborough, and Jeff Davis County in Hazlehurst, Georgia all reportedly received social media threats as well.

Hunter said when Smith was arrested, he told authorities he was joking.

“It’s not a joke, this is serious business,” Hunter said.

State Attorney John Durrett said, “You’re going to find out what happens when they pick you up and arrest you and bring you into court. It’s no joke.” -CCSO Courtesy Photo

“You think it’s a joke? A joke to spread things on social media about how you want to shoot up a school?” State Attorney John Durrett said during the press conference. “You think that’s funny? I’m not laughing,” he added. “Children are murdered in Georgia. You don’t put this up. I’m not laughing.”

Wednesday, Durrett said he saw law enforcement at the press conference that had not been to sleep since Sunday.
“You’re going to find out what happens when they pick you up and arrest you and bring you into court. It’s no joke.”
Durrett said he has two children of his own. He knows it’s hard raising teenagers. But said he talks with his kids and even though it makes him uncomfortable, he looks through their phones.

He encouraged parents at minimum, “…please talk to your kids about these things. If nothing else for their mental health and well being, make sure they’re all right.” Durrett added, “Parents should talk to their kids about what happens to people that do these things.”

“Appreciate the consequence. We will find you, we will trace you, your friends will talk and we will arrest you. The best thing you can hope for at that point is that you will be held in secure detention until we figure out whether or not you need to go to prison or if you get treated as a juvenile. It’s not a child’s game.”

Hunter said they intended to hold a press conference the day before, Tuesday, but they received another threat from a private school. The school was Lake City Christian Academy, however, they found it was not a published threat, it was allegedly from one student to another. Officials are still working on that.

On the same day, gunshots were also reported near Fort White High and Fort White Elementary School. They immediately went on lock-down. Law enforcement found the shots came from a nearby resident that decided to do some target practicing.
Hunter said, “This is not a good time to be doing that after we’ve had all this going on in our community.”

After a “robust” response and “stern talking to” from law enforcement, Hunter said, “I think he’s going to hold off on target practicing for awhile.”

Columbia Superintendent of Schools Lex Carswell said, “Our number one priority for our schools is to create a safe environment for all our students. Social media is not something we can control as a district or as a community. Parents, please listen, we need your help. Monitor your child’s social activity. Take their phone, take their device in your hands. They’re your children and your responsibility. Please help us help you. Parents, you have got to step up and monitor your child’s social media activity.”

In a letter sent home to parents, Carswell wrote that parents may think their child would not do something like this and they may not, but they may have a friend who does. “If you see something, say something.”

“We understand the concern parents have about sending their children to school,” Hunter said, “We have invested heavily in our school resource program and put additional security measures at school.” He would not discuss some of the techniques used, “… we’re not going to inform these people on how to better cause this mayhem and confusion in our community.”

After investigating these threats, Hunter said they didn’t see any ability by Smith or Jenkins to actually carry out their threats, although it’s all still under investigation. “But when something like this happens, we all need to muster together and say look, we’re not going to accept this.”

Hunter thanked deputies, officers and all involved, for their tireless efforts, which included not only local law enforcement but the FBI, FHP, FDLE, Madison County law enforcement, the school district and the brave students who stepped up and said something, “These students are the heroes.”

“I want to ensure the community knows that law enforcement and our school system, along with our state attorney, is working very hard. These people are going to be held accountable,” Hunter said.