17-year-old charged in social media threats against Macon high school. What we know

A 17-year-old male student was arrested Sunday in connection to an online threat targeting Westside High School in Macon.

The threat surfaced last weekend amid heightened community concern following eight separate shooting incidents.

The 17-year-old was charged with making terroristic threats, according to Bibb County Schools spokesperson Stephanie Hartley.

District officials did not confirm if the 17-year-old was a Westside High student or say where he will be held.

Westside High School students and parents alerted district officials to the threat after sharing screenshots of at least two Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, posted from the same account.

“Warning! Something’s big is about to happen at westside high school and honestly some of y’all deserve it...so I’m not gonna warn everybody so if you kn me and you are cool text me so I kn to fill you in,” according to a screenshot of the Stories that circulated on Facebook.

Another post read, “If you saw the story before this one and did nothing don’t talk to me. You’re no longer a part of my life and I don’t need someone who stay quiet while I’m dying.”

Hartley said campus police worked throughout the weekend to investigate the post and make an arrest.

Westside High Principal Crystal Childers notified families Sunday via ParentSquare about the arrest.

“We do not take threats lightly, and I want to thank each of you who alerted school staff to the post. Your diligence helped guide law enforcement to making the arrest,” Childers said in the message .

Childers said the incident, along with heightened stress in the community over the weekend, would not prevent the school from having a productive and successful day Monday.

“We plan to have additional security measures in place on Monday as a precaution, and all classes and activities will proceed as planned,” Childers said. “We look forward to seeing everyone at school and having a great week as we close out February and continue our Black History Month celebrations.”

BCSD Superintendent Dan Sims said in a Facebook post Monday afternoon that it was “a great day at Westside High School, Home of the Seminoles,” adding that there were no issues and the district would continue to take safety seriously.

This story may be updated.