8 school threats reported in first 3 weeks of school in Tennessee Valley

From Local 3 News: While the 2024-2025 school year has just begun, law enforcement officers have been busy responding to several school threats.

In the past three weeks, eight school threats have been reported at middle and high schools in the Tennessee Valley.


August 8: The first threat of the school year came at Ooltewah Middle School. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department says a student indicated they had some type of explosive in their backpack to "blow up the school." The School Resource Deputy checked the backpack and did not find any explosives.

The student was taken to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with threat of mass violence.

August 14: School threats were reported in McMinn and Hamilton County.

McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said a threatening social media post led to two students at McMinn Central High School placed on suspension.

That same day, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office reports a Brown Middle School student stated in a classroom that "he wanted to blow up the school." The student admitted to the threat and was charged with threat of mass violence.

August 19: The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says students and a teacher at Hixson Middle School overheard a male student make a threat in the classroom. The student was taken into custody, transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center, and charged with Threat of Mass Violence on School Property.
The following week, four school threats were reported.

August 25: Hamilton County deputies learned of a threat of mass violence at Red Bank High School through an anonymous tip. Investigators were able to quickly identify and arrest the juvenile student with threat of mass violence at a school.

August 26: A School Resource Deputy at East Hamilton High School was made aware of a possible threat of mass violence over email. The student was arrested and charged with false reports.

August 26: Later in the same day, a teacher at Brown Middle School reported hearing a student make a threat in the classroom. The student was taken into custody and charged with threat of mass violence.

August 27: A School Resource Deputy at Chattanooga Prepatory School learned of a threat a student made while in class. Investigation found a 14-year-old threatened to "burn down the classroom." The student was arrested and charged with making a threat of mass violence on school property.

Data obtained by Local 3 News from Hamilton County Schools shows that school threats have largely fluctuated over the past five school years:

• 2023-24: 54 total threats were reported. 
• 2022-23: 67 total threats were reported. 
• 2021-22: 107 total threats were reported. 
• 2020-21: 45 total threats were reported. 
• 2019-20: 151 total threats were reported. 

Hamilton County Schools began tracking threats of mass violence in its own category during last year's school year.