Jeffersonville police identifying adults who shared school threats online, saying it 'adds to the chaos'

JEFFERONSVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Nearly a dozen school threats this week in Kentucky and Indiana have led to school closures and arrests. But a secondary problem — after the initial threats were made — has been another focus for Jeffersonville police officers.

Jeffersonville Police Chief Kenny Kavanaugh said the problem isn't just kids making the threatening posts. He said those posts have led to adults sharing the threats online, further spreading the dangerous messages and "inciting fear."

"Let's take a deep breath," Kavanaugh said Friday. "Let's take a look. We all want to be safe. But let's do this from a position and place of being responsible and being accountable."

After recent threats at River Valley and Parkview middle schools in Jeffersonville, police said sharing or creating misinformation on social media only adds to the chaos and interferes with the investigation.

Jeffersonville Police Chief Kenny Kavanaugh *(WDRB Photo)*

"We have seen some adults that we're identifying — we're calling them agitators — they're dropping this information in various locations and places to share with the community," Kavanaugh said. "When we're having individuals that are inciting public alarm, you're installing fear, you're getting close to that threshold and understanding where (the prosecutor's office) comes in ..."

He said some adults are sharing the posts in multiple groups without first calling police or school officials to report or verify the information.

"The question comes to light then: What is exactly the intent of the person or individual that is continually sharing this and going to different groups and depositing?" Kavanaugh said.

School threats — many in the form of social media posts — have led to the district closures or security increases this week. Teenagers have been arrested in different cases from multiple counties, as well as a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Parkview Middle School, part of Greater Clark County Schools, charged with felony intimidation.

"Once you make the decision to hit send, it's pretty reasonable that you're understanding, you're knowing, what will happen and occur," Kavanaugh said Friday.

Both Parkview and River Valley Middle School increased security Thursday after officials became aware of potential threats, but neither school initiated lockdown procedures. The threat specifically mentioned River Valley, but "other posts referring to the threat began to incorporate Parkview Middle School as well."

Kavanaugh said police are identifying people to interview and forward information to the Clark County Prosecutor's Office.

"We're seeing public alarm supersede at the highest level, at the highest magnitude, and that's not what we want," he said.

Kavanaugh said if someone sees a potentially threatening post, call police and school officials before sharing that post online.

Threats across the Louisville area

Several school districts across in Kentucky canceled classes or stepped up security this week in the wake of similar threats. Students were already on school buses when Adair County decided to cancel classes early Wednesday after becoming aware of a "substantiated threat" on Snapchat.

"We're going to put the safety of our students first," Superintendent Jason Faulkner said. "There was no way we were going to allow students to come onto campus with even the slight potential of a threat."

Classes were also canceled Wednesday in Taylor County after similar threats, the district said in a Facebook post late Tuesday evening, adding that "none of the online threats have been validated, however, I must err on the side of caution to ensure that students and staff are safe and prepared as we move forward with our school year."

Taylor County Schools posted on Wednesday afternoon that investigators didn't identify a valid threat to the school district. It said starting Thursday, increased safety measures will be implemented, including additional law enforcement officials.

The school district has created a team that will be focused on prosecuting cyber threats and crime. Taylor County Schools plans to return to class on Thursday.

The Marion County School district canceled classes Monday after a threat was made against the high school. A 16-year-old was arrested and charged with terroristic threatening in that case.

Also in Marion County, KSP said Tuesday a 14-year-old girl was arrested and charged with terroristic threatening regarding an alleged threat.

In addition this week, Hardin County officials determined that a threat against TK Stoner Middle School wasn't credible, but brought in extra security. Police arrested and charged a teenager with terroristic threatening within 12 hours after receiving the initial report.

Also in Elizabethtown, three juveniles have now been arrested, accused of making threats to a school in Ohio. All three are charged with terroristic threatening.

This week, at least four schools in Louisville took steps to notify parents and heighten security after separate verbal or social media threats.

For a list of those schools and letters, click here.

And in Oldham County, letters were sent to parents of students at Oldham County High School and Locust Grove Elementary on Wednesday about a threat. It's not clear if it was the same threat or separate ones at each school. District officials said police are now investigating.

The threats at local schools have been especially concerning in the wake of a shooting at a Georgia high school last week that left two students and two teachers dead.

Anyone who sees or hears of something alarming is asked to call local law enforcement or the Safe Schools Tip Line at (866) 393-6659 or submit information online by clicking here.

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