ROSWELL, Ga. — Racist threats sent to a group of middle school students in Roswell has parents terrified. Fulton County Schools said the threats were made using the social media app TikTok.
Concerned parents said that, in early October, four members of the Roswell Junior Hornets Football Program were targeted in racial threats made in an online TikTok group.
One of the messages began with "my fellow white people stand up with me and we can fight", and then went on to use racial slurs and name specific children. Other messages included phrases like "burn their skin," "lynch them," and "kidnap their babies."
According to one parent of a 12-year-old on the team, the victims named in the posts attended two different Fulton County Schools but were all part of the Roswell Junior Hornets Football Program, a feeder program for Roswell High School.
Another parent that spoke to 11Alive said that after the team discovered the messages, they came together to support each other.
"We cried and cried and really tried to use it as a learning moment," the parent said adding that they hope whoever sent the message can get the help they need.
Homeland Security has stepped in to investigate alongside the Fulton County Police Department.
Fulton County Schools released a statement this week acknowledging the incident saying that "while the process works out, we want our students and parents to know that that kind of vile, anonymous threat is the antithesis of our district's culture and goals."
Roswell Junior Hornets Football Program officials also released a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened about the situation".