ROCKINGHAM — Police are investigating an alleged threat made on social media from one student to another at a Richmond County middle school.
A mother posted to Facebook around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning an alleged Snapchat screenshot reportedly sent to her daughter, appearing to show a young boy holding up a small handgun with the caption “Don’t come to school tomorrow.”
In the accompanying post, the mother names the student who allegedly sent the photo and says he has been “messing with my daughter,” including reportedly telling the girl that she needed to “pick his cotton.”
As of 12:48 p.m., the post had been shared 411 times and received 176 comments.
Just after 11 a.m., the Rockingham Police Department released the following statement on its Facebook page:
“We are aware of the picture that is circulating of the child holding a gun. Rockingham Police along with Richmond County School Police, responded to Rockingham Middle School, where the child involved was searched and no weapon was found. The child’s mother was also contacted. We understand the public’s concern and take this matter very serious. At this time the incident is still under investigation.”
The RO reached out via email to Richmond County Schools for comment at 12:10 p.m. but had received no response by 5 p.m.
The local incident comes a week after a 15-year-old was charged with killing four fellow students and injuring others at a high school about 30 miles north of Detroit, Michigan, multiple news outlets report. The student is being charged as an adult and his parents have also been charged.
Closer to home, two students at Richmond Senior High School — De’Marion Latrell Davis and Malik Keysean Ellerbe, both 17 — were shot and killed at a Rockingham car wash just days after Thanksgiving.
The alleged shooter, 18-year-old Evann Jaqueez Taylor, of Rockingham, is charged with two counts of murder.
Of the six homicides within the city limits this year classified as murders, four of the victims have been under the age of 18.
