Several days into a police investigation on racially charged social media posts threatening Black middle school students in Roswell, Fulton County Schools issued a public statement condemning the posts.
Fulton County Schools police are investigating posts made on the video-sharing and message service TikTok by an Elkins Pointe Middle School student, Chief Communications Director Brian Noyes said.
Sean Thompson, public information officer for Roswell police, said the department took an initial report in the case. He added that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was involved in the investigation.
According to screenshots of the now-deleted written messages provided to the AJC, at least seven messages were sent from one account, naming three students the writer says attend another school.
One post begins, “My fellow white people” and uses a racial epithet in describing the Black students. In another post the writer disparages Black people and says he wants to “hang them all” and “burn there (sic) skin.”
A statement from Fulton County Schools to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently from Noyes said, “While the process works out, we want our students and parents to know this kind of vile, anonymous threat is the antithesis of our school district’s culture and goals.”
Contacted Oct. 16 about the TikToc posts, Noyes told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he couldn’t provide details because it’s a potentially criminal investigation. No more information on the school’s investigation was released Thursday.
“Hate speech must end,” the school district’s new statement said. “Our country and community are changing and challenging this type of behavior. Fulton County Schools is working to foster a positive and respectful environment that embraces the strength inherent in our diversity.”
In an email to the AJC, GBI Public Affairs Director Nelly Miles said the Georgia Information Sharing Analysis Center at the agency assisted with the tip at the start of the investigation, but is no longer involved.
A parent of one of the 12-year-old students targeted told Channel 2 Action News that he wants the investigation to result in criminal charges and that his son is terrified.
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