12-year-old charged after Bristol, Va. school threat

BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) – A 12-year-old boy faces multiple charges after allegedly making threats to Virginia Middle School that disrupted operations Wednesday.

According to the Bristol Virginia Police Department (BVPD), before students were dropped off at school Wednesday morning, school district leaders were informed of threats to Virginia Middle.

Bristol Virginia Public Schools Superintendent David D. Scott wrote in a social media post that the district was made aware of the threats only minutes before the school doors opened.

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BVPD officers responded to the school and began assisting staff with security measures. Scott wrote that the Bristol Virginia Sheriff’s Office also arrived, and students were monitored, physically checked and belongings examined upon arriving at the school.

According to Scott, the students were brought to the gymnasium where they remained under supervision while the threat was investigated. Some students were checked out by parents, and the remainder returned to classes after no weapons were found and the threat investigated.

The BVPD reports that later Wednesday afternoon, detectives developed a suspect. A 12-year-old boy was charged with seven Class 6 felony charges of threats to kill or do bodily harm using an electronic device.

The juvenile suspect was being held at the Highlands Juvenile Detention Center as of Thursday.

Scott thanked law enforcement for their assistance Wednesday.

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