Kentucky - FBI Warns That Hoax Threats Are Not A Joke

The authorities are warning everyone in Kentucky and the whole country that they will not take “hoax threats” lightly stressing that such cannot be regarded as a joke. The FBI is also looking to cut the alarmingly growing number of school shooting threats.

The FBI is launching a social media campaign #ThinkBeforeYouPost that aims to remind people that such threats are a federal crime, and not a joke.

David Habich, chief counsel and supervisory special agent at the FBI in Louisville, said: "Making false threats drains law enforcement resources and can cause significant distress to victims.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> Deputy Director Bowdich explains why making false threats is not a joke. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThinkBeforeYouPost?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThinkBeforeYouPost</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/podcast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#podcast</a> <a href="https://t.co/GX8A1i9waR">https://t.co/GX8A1i9waR</a> <a href="https://t.co/9hQlYazku7">pic.twitter.com/9hQlYazku7</a></p>&mdash; FBI (@FBI) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI/status/1000764861863866369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There has been an alarming increase in hoax threats following a wave of gun-related school threats in Kentucky and nationally prompting the agency to launch said campaign. Two months ago, the police took 500 rounds and a gun from a Lexington student. A hoax threat on social media led authorities to two arrests and to issue federal charges in Jessamine County.

Just last month, a Henderson County student received a punishment of five years in prison for a threat to “shoot up the school.” Many of the said threats followed the fatal shootings in Marshall County, Ky., and Parkland, Florida.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Learn about an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> case that shows why fake threats can result in real consequences. Making false threats is not a joke. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThinkBeforeYouPost?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThinkBeforeYouPost</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/podcast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#podcast</a> <a href="https://t.co/WlOUcbq2km">https://t.co/WlOUcbq2km</a> <a href="https://t.co/msG6u2EY0q">pic.twitter.com/msG6u2EY0q</a></p>&mdash; FBI (@FBI) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI/status/1000021415188365312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Officials are reminding the public that violations of the law carry strong repercussions as those hoax threats made to schools or other public places are punishable by up to five years in prison. Also, if a federal charge is not warranted, state charges can still be considered.

Habich shared that aside from the FBI Headquarters, FBI field offices around the country are spreading the word about the #ThinkBeforeYouPost social media campaign through public service announcements on radio, media coverage and on social media.

Schools on their end are also doing what they can to prevent not just hoax threats, but in instituting better security measures as well to prevent actual shootings. The Fayette County school district in Kentucky for instance recently started employing metal detectors at Lexington's Frederick Douglass High School, and Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk also called for Lexington's five other high schools to get fixed metal detectors.

The FBI is reminding everyone that if there's a threat to the safety of the public, people can call their local police department or contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or over the phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Source:

http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article211837129.html