Former Hargrave Military Academy student charged with making threats against school

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CHATHAM (WSLS10) – The Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office has arrested a former student in connection with the threat at Hargrave Military Academy this past February.

On February 16, the school received a threat via a direct message through one of the school's social media sites which claimed to have ties to ISIS and said something would happen at the school on a specific date in the future. A the time, the school and law enforcement considered the threat credible and believed it had a probable relationship with ISIS.

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During Thursday's press conference, the sheriff said that there is no connection at this time between the suspect and ISIS.

After hundreds of man hours, the sheriff's office filed these five charges against the juvenile:

  • Either on or about December 24, 2015, he unlawfully and feloniously took offline the school's website, which resulted in the school suffering a loss in excess of $1,000
  • Either on or about January 10, 2016 through February 16, 2016, he unlawfully and feloniosly interrupted the Internet/WiFi of the school, the loss of which was in excess of $1,000
  • Either on or about February 16, 2016, he unlawfully communicated to another knowing the same to be false, the existence of peril of bombing to a school
  • Either on or about February 18, 2016, he unlawfully communicated to another knowing the same to be false, the existence of peril of bombing to a school
  • Either on or about February 22, 2016, he unlawfully published the name and photo, with the intent to harass Doyle "Don" Broome Jr., the president of Hargrave Military Academy
  • The juvenile charged has since returned to his home.

    The investigation included both local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office resourced about 30 members for the different divisions to include Cyber Investigations, Special Investigations, General Investigations, deputies and the command staff.

    His next court date is July 13.


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