At least seven school districts across the state have reported threats from students over the past three days, including at least two made on the same day as a deadly shooting at a Florida high school. At least four students were arrested in the threats, and two others were arrested with guns while on campuses in the past week, authorities said.
In Northwest Arkansas, the Fayetteville School District said Friday morning that officers had investigated an online threat from a student to “shoot up the high school like they did in Florida.”
A student saw the Thursday post and reported it to a teacher, district spokesman Alan Wilbourn told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Wilbourn said the student apparently believed he was being "glib" and making a joke.
Authorities later determined that the high school student, who was arrested, did not intend to carry out the threat. More information was set to be released by the Police Department on Friday.
The district’s superintendent, Matthew Wendt, said he appreciated the work of police, noting their “vigilant partnership” to “keep our schools safe places for teaching and learning.”
Seventeen people were killed Wednesday when a gunman opened fire with an AR-15 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., The Associated Press reported.
In Sebastian County, authorities Friday arrested a 16-year-old Hackett High School student who had made an "implied threat," according to a statement from the sheriff's office.
"The student had been picked on in the past," the statement reads.
The sheriff's office said that students reported the threat. The teen is charged with first-degree terroristic threatening. No weapons were found at the school.
Hackett School District superintendent Edward Ray said the student implied that he might bring a gun to school and shoot but didn't name any other students. He made the comment in a classroom and was immediately taken to the office, Ray said.
"Anytime anyone makes a threat like that, we file a police report," Ray said. "He's not a bad kid. He's never been in trouble."
In the state's northwest, Rogers Heritage High School canceled a pep rally Friday out of precaution because of a rumored threat, according to a statement sent out to parents in the school community.
The Rogers Police Department was set to have an increased presence at the school that day.
Also Friday, authorities responded to a report of a threat the day before at Gurdon High School in the state's southwest, Superintendent Allen Blackwell said.
No one was in imminent danger, and the school did not go into lockdown, Blackwell said.
The student was taken in for questioning by the Gurdon Police Department and Clark County sheriff's office, according to the superintendent.
About 58 miles northeast of Fayetteville, the Berryville School District was notified that a middle school student had made threats online Wednesday, Superintendent Owen Powell said.
“When school officials were made aware of the situation, the student was taken into juvenile custody,” Powell wrote in a Facebook post.
No students or staff were ever in danger, and the student did not have any weapons, the superintendent said.
In Stone County on Friday, deputies responded to Timbo High School, where a 17-year-old student was "making threats to cause harm to others in the school," according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
The student was arrested, and the threat is under investigation, the release states.
On Thursday, the Star City School District in southeast Arkansas also reported a threat made by a student to shoot up a school.
Police investigated and determined that there was no “substantiated threat,” the district’s superintendent, Jon Laffoon, said. The student was taken into custody.
“We will take appropriate disciplinary action,” Laffoon said. “Our students are safe and were not in danger, but I encourage you to be vigilant. We can’t be too cautious.”
In El Dorado, Washington Middle School went on lockdown Friday after shots were fired near the property, according to a tweet from superintendent Jim Tucker.
About 2:45 p.m., the city's police department wrote in a Facebook post that "everything is okay" at the school.
"Investigation is still ongoing but everyone is safe," the post reads.
"Buses will run normal schedule. If you do not want your child to ride the bus, you may check them out," another one states.
At McGehee High School in Desha County, an unloaded handgun was recovered from a backpack on school grounds, according to a police report. Debonaire White, 18, was arrested and charged with possession of a handgun on school property.
A threat at North Little Rock High School was also reported. North Little Rock police said Friday afternoon that the department was investigating a social media post.
A Facebook post with photos of several assault rifles was shared several times in the area.
"I LOVE MY GUNS. TIME FOR ROUND 2 OF FLORIDA TODAY," the post reads. It was unclear when the post was originally made.
North Little Rock School District superintendent Kelly Rodgers said the school reported a threat Friday morning after the school's Facebook page received a message that threatened the school as well a "the president." The account had reportedly been created moments before the message was sent.
It was unclear whether that threat and the Facebook post that circulated were made by the same person, though Rodgers said the message was not from a district student.
A student at North Little Rock High School — 17-year-old Kyrin LeBron — was arrested Wednesday after being found with a gun and ammunition.
In the state's north, a student was arrested after a shooting threat was made against Mammoth Spring High School on Wednesday, Arkansas Online previously reported. It was not clear whether the threat was made before or after the Florida attack.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Ginny Monk contributed to this story.