2 facing charges after online messages allegedly involved plans for school shooting

A Shelby County woman is one of two people facing charges after federal law enforcement say she admitted to exchanging online messages involving plans to commit a violent attack at a school. According to an affidavit, Katherine Joiner from Wilsonville, Alabama and Ethan Bassett from Glen, Mississippi face charges of transmitting threatening communications in interstate…

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Ridgeland man faces attempted homicide charge after making alleged threats towards school

A Ridgeland man faces attempted homicide charge, among others, after making alleged threats towards Prairie Farm School. According to a criminal complaint, 36-year-old Dustin Rudd is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, attempting to take hostages, possession of a firearm on grounds of a school and making terrorist threats. The criminal complaint states that on…

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Suspect in custody after threats made to the St. Charles graduation ceremony

A suspect is in custody after threats were made against the St. Charles City School District’s upcoming graduation ceremony. The St. Charles Police Department told First Alert 4 that a male was taken into custody in relation to the threats. “The safety and well-being of students remains the highest priority of the St. Charles Police…

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School killer was likely egged on by online extremist ‘handlers,’ investigators say

The killer behind the January 2025 shooting at Nashville’s Antioch High School appears to have had “handlers” associated with violent extremist groups who were egging him on, an exclusive NewsChannel 5 investigation has discovered. Solomon Henderson, 17, left behind a recording in which he attributed the deadly school shooting to Maniac Murder Cult and 764,…

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Threats called into multiple Tennessee schools

At least seven Tennessee school campuses were placed on lockdown Monday morning after threats were reported against the schools. The Franklin Police Department reported that a bomb threat was called into Franklin High School and Page High School. Both schools were placed on lockdown while investigations were underway. Franklin police determined the bomb threats were…

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Charges Announced Against Member of Online Cybercriminal Group “Purgatory” for Placing Swatting Calls to Universities; Victims Asked to Contact FBI

United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that charges have been filed against a juvenile[1] following a rash of swatting calls aimed at universities and other institutions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025. A “swatting call” is a hoax call made to emergency services typically reporting an immediate threat to human…

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School shooting in Brazil leaves 2 women dead; 13-year-old student detained

A school shooting Tuesday in Acre state in northern Brazil left two women dead and two others injured, including an underage student, authorities said. The state government said in a statement that a 13-year-old student admitted carrying out the attack at the public school Instituto Sao Jose in Rio Branco, the state capital. The two…

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FBI investigating school swatting calls in Philadelphia region

The FBI is investigating so-called “swatting calls” that targeted elementary and high schools across our region on Monday. The schools spanned from Philadelphia to Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks and Berks counties. Investigators say they do not have any information indicating there was a credible threat, but it was a scare for students and parents. Tricia Steigerwalt,…

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