Investigation Into Alleged Threat At WCS
As we have been reporting, The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office was requested by the School District of Newberry County to investigate a potential threat against Whitmire Community School.
The School District was made aware of the alleged threat late Wednesday afternoon. School Resource Officers (SROs), Sheriff’s Investigators, and Deputies immediately began working to assess the credibility of the report.
The School District took an immediate proactive response. As a precaution, additional security was deployed at the school and in the surrounding area.
School administrators, School Resource Officers, and investigators conducted several dozen interviews with students, parents, and members of the community. Individuals who posted on social media claiming to have factual information about the threat were also interviewed. To date, no one — including those who stated they had direct knowledge — have been able to provide verified information that a student made a threat.
Several individuals mentioned receiving or seeing notes that either indicated they were being targeted or that they were not targets. Some of those individuals claimed to have pictures of these notes. However, as of now, no one has produced the actual notes, acknowledged to having them, or provided images of the notes.
“We cannot prosecute anyone based on speculation or rumors. We must have actionable information that establishes probable cause before any charges can be made,” said Sheriff Lee Foster. “We also need people that has direct personal knowledge of the incident and not people that have speculated and making statements of fact, which in and of itself is illegal,” stated Sheriff Foster. Sheriff Foster went on to say, “Several of our Deputies have family which attend or work at Whitmire Community School. Do you think we would send our loved ones to school if there was an imminent threat or let any child to into danger?”
The Sheriff’s Office and the School District of Newberry County have spent many hours investigating this issue. The Sheriff’s Office and the School District of Newberry County will remain vigilant and do everything legally possible to protect our children and staff.
Anyone with evidence or credible, actionable information related to this or any other threat is urged to contact the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office at 803-321-2222.
As we have been reporting, The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office was requested by the School District of Newberry County to investigate a potential threat against Whitmire Community School.
The School District was made aware of the alleged threat late Wednesday afternoon. School Resource Officers (SROs), Sheriff’s Investigators, and Deputies immediately began working to assess the credibility of the report.
The School District took an immediate proactive response. As a precaution, additional security was deployed at the school and in the surrounding area.
School administrators, School Resource Officers, and investigators conducted several dozen interviews with students, parents, and members of the community. Individuals who posted on social media claiming to have factual information about the threat were also interviewed. To date, no one — including those who stated they had direct knowledge — have been able to provide verified information that a student made a threat.
Several individuals mentioned receiving or seeing notes that either indicated they were being targeted or that they were not targets. Some of those individuals claimed to have pictures of these notes. However, as of now, no one has produced the actual notes, acknowledged to having them, or provided images of the notes.
“We cannot prosecute anyone based on speculation or rumors. We must have actionable information that establishes probable cause before any charges can be made,” said Sheriff Lee Foster. “We also need people that has direct personal knowledge of the incident and not people that have speculated and making statements of fact, which in and of itself is illegal,” stated Sheriff Foster. Sheriff Foster went on to say, “Several of our Deputies have family which attend or work at Whitmire Community School. Do you think we would send our loved ones to school if there was an imminent threat or let any child to into danger?”
The Sheriff’s Office and the School District of Newberry County have spent many hours investigating this issue. The Sheriff’s Office and the School District of Newberry County will remain vigilant and do everything legally possible to protect our children and staff.
Anyone with evidence or credible, actionable information related to this or any other threat is urged to contact the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office at 803-321-2222.
