A student at a middle school in Thomaston was charged with misdemeanor terrorizing late Tuesday afternoon after other students heard him say that he was going to “shoot it up” during Wednesday classes.

Knox County Chief Deputy Tim Carroll in a release issued late Tuesday said the incident took place around 3:30 p.m. at the Oceanside Middle School in Thomaston.

According to Carroll, the student made the threat to another student. A third student overheard and when he tried to intervene, the suspect threatened him with harm if he reported it to school officials.

Deputies interviewed the student and his father and charged the boy with misdemeanor terrorizing and tampering with a witness.

“Through the investigation, it was determined that the suspect juvenile had no means to carry out the threats and stated he was ‘just trash talking,’ ” Carroll said. Police said the boy told them that he realizes he should not have made threat.

Carroll said officers believe that the situation has been handled and that there is no need to cancel classes on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, it is a troubling time concerning school safety and the horrific actions that have been carried out in this country,” Carroll said. “I give credit to the young student that spoke up and told someone about this potential threat.”


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