TikTok challenge sees three teens arrested after they filmed themselves telling teachers they had brought gun and bomb to school
At the TikTok challenge, three teens are arrested after filming themselves telling teachers they brought a gun and a bomb to school
- A dangerous new TikTok challenge has surfaced and three students face charges in connection with terrorist threat at a Kentucky high school
- The challenge encourages students to videotape themselves and tell a teacher that they have a bomb or a gun in their backpack
- The Oldham County School district has experienced at least four incidents since the start of the new school year on Aug. 9
Three Kentucky high school students were arrested after making a video telling their teachers they had a bomb or gun as part of a dangerous new TikTok prank.
There have been four separate bomb threats at two different schools in Oldham County High School and South Oldham High School since the new school year began on Aug. 9.
Police said three of the students, whose names have not been released because they are minors, are now charged with terrorist threats, although the threats were deemed “empty” threats designed to boost opinion on social media.
Eric Davis, director of student services at Oldham County School, told WDRB News that “this is what will happen — it’s not an ‘if’ or ‘maybe’ — but it will happen if you make these kinds of threats, even if it’s a joke. ‘
He added, “It’s been a huge disruption… a huge disruption. This was a rough start, I think, mainly because of the social media craze.”
Oldham County Schools said all four students have been suspended. They have also been instructed to undergo mental health screening before returning to class.
Eric Davis, Oldham County School’s Director of Student Services, told WDRB News “this is what will happen — it’s not an ‘if’ or a ‘maybe’ — but it will happen if you make these kinds of threats, too. even if it’s a joke.’
Police said three of the students, whose names have not been released because they are minors, are now charged with terrorist threats.
On August 9, the students started the new school year
The challenge encourages students to videotape themselves and tell a teacher that they have a bomb or a gun in their backpack.
While the threats are reportedly “empty” threats, school officials are concerned and are cracking down on the troubling behavior.
Since the terrifying incidents, all TikTok videos have been removed at the request of the district.
When a threat is reported, school employees are required to check the building, search lockers and backpacks, and question students.
Officials are understandably irritable and hesitant to dismiss any threat, in case they find themselves becoming the site of the next school shooting.
The district also sent a letter to parents and their students last week.
“As previously communicated in a letter to families about terrorist threat, students who engage in this type of behavior face dire consequences,” the message read.
“In addition to school-level discipline, students face the greatest extent of the law for making a threat to a public school.”
District officials asked parents to talk to their children about the new TikTok trend and talk about the consequences they could face if they make a threat.
They also encouraged their child’s social media accounts to be more closely monitored and to notify authorities of anyone threatening violence.
“Whether written or spoken, all threats are taken seriously and students should know the consequences of these actions, both in the short and long term,” the statement said.
“Even if they aren’t credible threats, they can cause a lot of stress or anxiety for our students, families and employees.”
Davis said no one was hurt and said the district “is going to take any threat seriously because our students deserve to go to a safe school.”