Rush County, Indiana – Authorities in Rush County detained a young student who they claim spread a rumor online purporting that on Tuesday there would be “bloodshed” because someone had brought a gun to school.
The false report that a student had taken a gun to school was widely disseminated on social media, which led the Rush County Sheriff’s Office to make the arrest public on Wednesday.
“The allegation, which had no foundation in reality, caused great concern for parents, students and our community,” the sheriff’s office said.
Both law enforcement and school staff started an investigation into the threat right away, according to the RCSO.
“Through this intensive process, it was clearly determined that this rumor was just plain false,” RCSO said.
According to the sheriff’s office, there was broad fear in the community as the rumor circulated on social media, which led to a significant number of students missing school. Tuesday saw 54% of pupils at Benjamin Rush Middle School absent, compared to nearly 50% at Rushville Consolidated High School.
The student, whose identity was included in the rumor, and their family, according to RCSO, were also “subjected to harassment in various forms” and police were compelled to inspect their property. However, the sheriff’s office claimed that they cooperated with the investigation at all times.
According to the RCSO, the Rush County School Corporation also fully cooperated and has very specific protocols in place to guarantee the safety of both the alleged victim and the school population as a whole.
“The safety of our community and our schools is of the utmost importance,” Sheriff Alan Rice said. “False rumors of a school shooting are not only irresponsible, but they are also illegal. We will not tolerate this kind of behavior.”
The student who was detained will not be identified since they are a child, according to a statement issued by RCSO on Wednesday. Sheriff Rice did, however, confirm that the student had faced criminal charges as a result of their behavior.
