From Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.–School threats have been on the rise since the shooting in Winder, Georgia on Sept. 4. Local school officials have dealt with threats at Clay-Chalkville High School, Hewitt-Trussville High School, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, Huffman High School, and Huffman Middle School within the last week.
Friday morning, Alabaster Police said they were investigating a threat at a local school and Birmingham Police announced that a student was in custody related to a shooting threat at Carver and Parker high schools.
Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald said that on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, with the assistance of the Homewood Police Department, the BPD Intelligence Unit alerted BPD School Resources Officers (SROs) someone made a social media threat to carry out a shooting at Carver and Parker High School.
“The BPD Intelligence Unit notified BPD Felony Assault detectives,” Fitzgerald said. “BPD Felony Assault detectives obtained a search warrant in connection to this investigation. BPD Narcotics Unit carried out a search warrant on a residence in Northern Birmingham. The search warrant aided detectives in their investigation.”
A 16-year-old male juvenile who is a student at Carver High School was identified as the suspect, according to Fitzgerald.
On Thursday, September 12, 2024, BPD SROs took the suspect into custody at Carver High School. BPD Felony Assault detectives interviewed the suspect at BPD Headquarters; the suspect confessed to making the online threats.
“BPD SROs transported the suspect to the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center where he was taken in for making a terrorist threat first degree,” Fitzgerald said. “The Birmingham Police Department will continuously demonstrate that terroristic threats made towards our students will be investigated using all available resources.”
