As threats to our schools continue to pour in across the Sunshine State, NBC2 investigates all the effects just one threat can have. Real or fake, a domino effect begins the second a threat is made.
Since the Sandy Hook massacre of 2012, the Washington Post reports there have been 376 school shootings.
Just in the month of September, a North Naples Middle Schooler was arrested. Two 13-year-olds were charged in Hendry County for sharing a threat through Instagram. Two more students are facing a felony in North Port.
How it starts
Last week, the Charlotte County School District saw multiple threat investigations. Two involved social media posts being shared throughout the county and beyond.
Another investigation, however, was initiated by a parent.
"I am the parent of a child who goes to L.A. Ainger Middle School," one dad said to a dispatcher at the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office on Sept. 11. "She came home and told me some concerning things about a possible threat to school tomorrow."
The father went on to say he tried calling the school but because it was after hours, no one was picking up.
"On the bus ride home, she was told her friend received a text message from someone else that they were going to shoot up the school, kill the bus driver and shoot up the whole bus," he explained.
The first domino is down. Dispatch immediately sent deputies out to speak with the man and his daughter.
Ultimately, the investigation revealed the threat was made up by another student.
Fear/Panic/Anxiety
As multiple threats circled, parents like Kelsey Jackson said it was terrifying.
"[My] middle schoolers, they were definitely scared," Jackson said. "My oldest went through the threat at Murdock last year with the girl that brought the knife to school. She knew the girl and everything, so [this] kind of sends her spiraling as well"
Fortunately, Charlotte County investigators were able to track down all threats before the first bell on Thursday. Jackson said that made her feel somewhat better.
William Gorman has 40 years of law enforcement experience. He spent the last four as school resource officer at Charlotte High School.
"[When a threat happens], they're always approaching us as if to say, 'hey, you got me? Are you watching me? Are you aware of what's going on? Did you see this threat?"
He said parents are the same way: panicked.
"Parents should not have to worry about the child's safety when they're going to school," Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said. "They should just be focusing on their education."
Interruptions in learning
Jackson knew her daughter would likely have trouble focusing at school Thursday despite law enforcement's determination that the threats weren't real.
"Being able to learn while being anxious about something possibly happening, it's just very difficult," Jackson said.
"Now the focus of attention isn't 100% on the learning environment," Master Police Officer William Gorman stated. "After a threat, you always see those that have never been absent - parents will keep them home."
Records from Charlotte County Public Schools indicate nearly a 2% decrease in overall attendance after threats were made. The two schools that saw the highest dips were Sallie Jones Elementary and Port Charlotte Middle.
To put that in perspective, the data tells us at least 25 elementary students and more than 42 middle schoolers missed school last Thursday just at the two schools mentioned above.
"There's talk that there may be more and more kids who are being homeschooled because parents are so scared to put their kids in school," Sheriff Bill Prummell stated.
Timeline of recent threats
Straining law enforcement
The second a threat is made, district personnel and law enforcement both spring into action.
"We have principals involved in identifying kids and their locations. We have school resource officers involved who know these kids. We have administrators, such as myself," Nicholas King said. King is the Coordinator of District Security & Emergency Management.
King said because of the influx of threats, people have been up working up until 1-2-3-4 a.m.
"We had officers and deputy sheriffs, investigators and detectives, out well after midnight on this case," Gorman explained. "Now, during the day, we've asked road patrol officers to frequently come through [and] appear so parents can see that."
When that happens, it does add a sense of increased security and comfort. However, it also takes officers away from their patrol districts.
Lifelong consequences of school treats
If law enforcement can track down the original threat maker, many times they will arrest them and charge them with a felony.
"Simply taking a threat, making a threat, producing a threat and sending it via social media... you could wind up in prison down the road," Gorman said.
"These can follow you into adulthood, and if you want to get a job later on in government or public safety, that can really hinder you," Prummell added.
The trauma is also lifelong for students, and parents panicked by the concern.
"Every situation that happens across the United States, these kids are witnessing. When there's information or some type of, tip or something that's coming out and it's now they're hearing it's Charlotte County, it's, 'oh my God, it's in my school district. Oh my God, it's in my school,'" a Guardian within the Charlotte County School district told us.
What to do
"Sometimes we hear the information four, five times removed," Sheriff Prummell explained. "We've got to track back to where it originally came from. So, we want you, instead of sharing it, report it to us and give us a chance to look at it... It wastes time when we have to go through all these steps to really find out where the origin was."
Sheriff Bill Prummell is strongly urging parents, students and staff alike to stop sharing any social media threats.
This will not only reduce the fear factor, but make it easier for them to investigate too. Some of the tips sent it came from outside the state, and sometimes from outside of the country.
Prummell also wants to thank those who filed tips through Fortify Florida.
Fortify FL is a free app created from the Majory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act that allows anyone to report suspicious activity. The information is sent directly to law enforcement and the school district.
King said it is required by law that students be taught how to work with the tool within the first five days of school.
"Once they start giving information, they just continue it," Gorman said.
He shared that more than two dozen tips came in last week alone. Despite the content, Gorman was proud of students for reporting the information right away.
Jackson hopes more parents teach their students to tell an adult any concern right away. She's already taught her three kids what to do.
"They know that they need to let me know," Kelsey Jackson said. "So that way we can tell the appropriate people."