EL PASO COUNTY — Two students have been charged from separate schools for spreading false information about threats to schools locally and nationwide, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
One student was charged with false reporting. They and the other student are both charged with interference of an educational institution.
The sheriff's office says School Resource Officers (SROs) received information about threats against school staff and students across several districts in El Paso County.
WATCH: Non-credible threats directed at five different school districts last week
The sheriff's office says students reposted or posted false or misleading information on social media.
El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal released the following statement regarding this incident:
“School safety is a high priority for my Office, and our commitment towards this mission extends beyond the hard work and dedication of our SROs. It is something at the forefront of the mind of every individual working in law enforcement.
I want to remind parents and students of the importance of communicating possible threats through Safe2Tell, talking to school staff, or reporting information to law enforcement.
Every potential threat is credible until proven otherwise, and my deputies will vet it thoroughly. We are fully committed to ensuring the safety of our children.
Sadly, due to the decisions of two individuals to spread concerning misinformation, students, parents, and teachers faced unnecessary fear. This incident is a stark reminder of the severe consequences of spreading false information.
Thankfully, our SROs acted quickly and were able to discredit the potential threats and identify who and where the false information was coming from. I am incredibly proud of their diligence and thorough investigations into both incidents."
Because of the students are under the age of 18, their names will not be released. At this time, the names of the schools they attended have not been released.
To learn more about Safe2Tell, visit their website.
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