Spalding Co. schools cleared after Instagram bomb threat

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — Multiple schools in Spalding County were on a level one lockdown after social media threats were sent late Monday morning. 

After being locked down for several hours, the lock downs were lifted. Spalding deputies are in place at all the schools that were named, according to officials.

LAST WEEK | Students return to Griffin schools after threats made on social media

This threat comes less than a week after both Rehoboth Road Middle School and Spalding High School were evacuated for online threats so that law enforcement could do a sweep of both campuses.

The Spalding County Sheriff's Department said the threats came from the same Instagram account. In a post to Facebook, they said the student who owns the Instagram account is not making the threats.

"The person making the threats is using a stolen Instagram account and screen name. The student who the screen name belongs to, and their phone, was standing with Deputies and school staff when the threats came in last week," the post read in part.

The department also said the threats are being sent using the school's WIFI network and, at this point, they're unable to trace the IP address of the device sending the threats. 

The department also addressed questions in that Facebook post saying "Yes, we are taking this seriously. No, it will not be swept under the rug. No, it is not a joke. Yes, we are using all the resources we have available or can call in. No, the person will not get a slap on the wrist. Yes, we will charge them with everything we can. Yes, they will go to prison or to a juvenile detention center. Yes, your child is safer at school than they would be if you showed up to get them and exposed them and yourself to any danger. No, this is not a representation of whether or not your child is safe in their school. No, persons that plant bombs do not usually call/Instagram/Facebook/tweet/ Pinterest/text message/or send mail and say they have planted a bomb. No, at the time of the incident we do not put out every single bit of rumor/allegation/information we receive until we get the facts. We put out factual information to keep you informed, stop rumors, and we update it as soon as we can with facts."

The GBI has been contacted to help with the investigation.

MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THREATS: 

• When should a social media threat warrant an official safety response?
• Kennesaw State says no threat on campus despite Twitter uproar
• Officials: Post about Pickens County school threat 'not credible'
• Social media threat closes an Alabama, Georgia school system