A Howard County pre-teen has been charged in connection to a school threat hoax.
On Monday, Police say they were notified of a social media post claiming someone was going to shoot up various schools in Columbia.
Detectives were able to trace the account and determine it was a fake user, a 12-year-old girl. Investigators said they have found no evidence of a credible threat.
The pre-teen, who will not be identified because of her age, has been criminally charged with making a threat of mass violence, disrupting school activities and disorderly conduct. Her Howard County School, which will also not be identified, has been notified of her arrest.
Detectives are working to determine if anyone else may have been involved in the hoax.
Following the incident, police released the following statement:
Howard County police take threats against schools and other public institutions very seriously. All students should be reminded of the serious nature of these types of threats, which are not considered “jokes” and will result in criminal charges.
