Sheriff’s Office makes statement on investigating social media threats

FROM THE MCNAIRY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ON 9/16/25:

Every year we are faced with growing threats of violence within our school system. These incidents almost always begin with an alleged threat posted on social media, which then spreads rapidly across other platforms.

The McNairy County Sheriff’s Office and our school system remain committed to fully investigating and prosecuting any threat found to be credible. However, far too often, these incidents start as “I heard” or “someone said.” While we investigate every report, it is often very difficult to locate and authenticate an original post that communicates an actual threat.

If you or your child sees a social media post or message that could be interpreted as a threat, we strongly encourage you to screenshot it and contact law enforcement immediately. Unfortunately, we frequently receive reports without any screenshots or original messages, which makes it much harder to verify whether a real threat exists.

Our office has a strong working relationship with social media providers and can legally investigate these incidents, but it is still rare to find concrete proof that confirms the concerns people are sharing.

The old saying “See Something, Say Something” has never been more true. The most recent threats circulating are a classic case of rumors with no one able to provide the original post or message.

If your child has information about this or any other threat, please contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately. We will continue working closely with the school system to provide the safest environment possible for our children.

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