Teen arrested for threats to bring gun to Blount school

Teen arrested for threats to bring gun to Blount school

April 8, 2005

BLOUNT COUNTY (WATE) -- The Blount County Sheriff's Office says Friday that a 15-year-old boy has been arrested after officers say he confessed to threatening to bring a gun to William Blount High School.

The teen is charged with disrupting a meeting or procession relating to the threats made against students at the school.

The sheriff's office says in a press release that the teen admitted to an assistant principal that he made a statement in class that he was going to bring a gun to school and cause bodily harm to other students.

Officials said a hit list was discovered at the school, forcing a lockdown Wednesday while deputies swept the school for drugs and guns. None were found. [ school locked down ]

The lockdown came after a week of rumors and racially-motivated threats of violence against students that included graffiti at the high school.

Extra deputies were stationed at the school Thursday. Each student who came onto campus was screened by an officer using a hand held metal detector.

The sheriff's office continues to offer a $1,000 reward to help them find the person or persons responsible for making the threats.

Anyone with any information about the threats made against William Blount students is asked to call the 24-hour sheriff's office anonymous hotline at (865)-273-5200 or the Blount County School Board at (865)-980-1010.

Classes resumed Thursday but the absence rate was high. Of the 1,730 students enrolled, more than 400 were absent. That's nearly 25 percent and nearly twice the usual absentee rate.

The teen is being held at the Blount County Juvenile Detention Facility. A release hearing will take place within 72 hours.