04/29/2025
On 12/10/2024, The Houston County Middle School received a threat via email, demanding a specific denomination of, “Bitcoin” or there would be a school shooting. The Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee State Troopers, and the Department of Homeland Security responded. The school was searched prior to the arrival students, there were no threats detected, and no further threats were issued. Houston County Sheriff’s Office Investigations was able to track down the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses associated with the email account that issued the threat. The IP address information was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security who executed a search warrant for the account’s subscriber information. Upon the return of the search warrant a suspect was discovered who admitted to issuing the threat. That individual was charged with Threats of Mass Violence at School.
On 04/16/2025, a bomb threat was issued by electronic means at the Houston County High School. Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Erin Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, The Tennessee State Troopers, and the Department of Homeland Security responded. The students were evacuated from the school, until Law Enforcement could be certain that the building was safe. During the search of the High School there was evidence found that suggested the threat may have been credible, which created the necessity to restrict access to cellular devices. The TN State Trooper’s bomb squad was able determine that there was no explosive device at the High School. Through continued investigation into the incident, the device which the threat had been issued from has been located, the time the threat was issued, the location of the device at the time the threat was issued and who was in classroom with the device at that time. That device has been turned over to the Department of Homeland Security to be forensically analyzed. The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank the parents for their patience, and cooperation with the investigation. Interviews are in the process of being conducted with the students who had access to the device at the time the threat was issued. Anyone with information pertaining to the issuance of the threat is encouraged to contact Law Enforcement.
The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank all the departments who have come to assist in Emergency Situations; Erin Police Department, Tennessee State Troopers, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security
