Two Red Bank Middle School students have been charged in connection with making threats that a clown would shoot up either Red Bank High or Red Bank Middle.
The boys were on campus on Wednesday as the school had a soft lockdown.
They were both charged with disorderly conduct and conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct. One was charged with filing a false report.
Authorities said, "Two juvenile male Red Bank Middle School students were charged by the HCSO for making online threats against a schools via social media. These threats were directed to Red Bank High and Red Bank Middle Schools. The threats were first reported last night to local authorities.
"A joint investigation between the HCSO, Red Bank Police Department, and administrators with the HCDE, led to the discovery of these two students based off information they received as being responsible for the clown threat made against Red Bank Middle and High Schools. As a result, the two students will be charged as juveniles and have been released to their parents’ custody pending further action by the Juvenile Court.
"All electronic devices operated by the two students have been seized as evidence."
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office had received information on Tuesday night from the Red Bank Police Department that an unidentified threat had been made stating that a clown would shoot up one of the schools. Several students received messages on their cell phones via social media.
Officials said, "HCSO school resource officers, patrol and criminal investigations personnel immediately began to assess the threat and found the threat to be unfounded. HCDE personnel were also notified. Even with this threat, without creditable evidence, normal school hours have been maintained.
"Due to the recent national events, especially those regarding incidents with dangerous clowns, the HCSO will respond appropriately to anyone dressed as a clown and acting or purporting to act in a dangerous or threatening manner. Furthermore, the HCSO takes any and all threats seriously and will not only investigate any threat made, but will also prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any juvenile or adult threating the lives of children or caught trying to disrupt the daily activities of local businesses, schools, or public spaces. This also includes false reporting of incidents and sightings."
Sheriff Jim Hammond said, “Our nation is experiencing tremendous cause to be concerned over a variety of issues. With prior incidents involving clowns in other states, I want to make it very clear that we will not tolerate people in our community dressing up as clowns and threatening our children or their safety.
"I want to encourage parents to speak with their children and let them know that it is not a joke to threaten their classmates or their school and there are legal repercussions for those who do.”