Orange County Teen Arrested After Text Threatening to ‘Shoot Up’ High School

Orange County authorities have arrested an 18 year old for threatening a school shooting at a local high school.

Officials said Friday afternoon that Dylan W. George, of Mebane, has been arrested after allegedly sending a text message to a classmate at Cedar Ridge High School.

“The classmate received a text this morning but did not recognize the sending number. The student’s parent immediately called 911,” according to the release from the sheriff’s office. “The message indicated the sender was going to shoot up the school today.”

George was taken to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office where authorities said he “confessed to authoring the text.”

“Threats to school safety are incredibly dangerous, disruptive, and anxiety producing,” Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in a release. “Investigators took the text message sent today very seriously. They were tenacious and swift as they worked to protect the teachers, staff, and students at Cedar Ridge.  I am grateful the student and the student’s parent treated the matter with the appropriate level of alarm. Because of their concern for others, we were able to work with the school to bring this matter to resolution in very short period of time.”

George has been charged with communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property. He was given a $75,000 secured bond and is expected to make his next court appearance on Monday.

Interim superintendent of Orange County Schools Randy Bridges said in the release, “The safety of students and employees is our top priority. We respect and appreciate the working relationship we have with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and their willingness to respond quickly to any situation that involves the protection of our school community.”