Carrboro Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Office collaborated to investigate a threat of violence to Carrboro High School on Thursday morning, leading to the arrest of a student’s father and potential charges for a different student.
CHCCS received a tip on their 24-hour tip hotline from a student about seeing a post on Snapchat late Wednesday night, showing a photograph of another student holding a handgun. The post was accompanied by language indicating students who attended school on Thursday were all in danger. A second entry on Snapchat indicated the student had access to additional weapons.
Investigators with the Carrboro Police Department obtained a search warrant for a residence off Smith Level Road on Thursday, with county investigators serving the warrant.
At the residence, investigators seized one handgun and 17 glass jars containing a total of 380 grams of marijuana. After an investigation and an interview with the father of the student depicted in the photo, authorities charged Orontes Rogers, 38, with three felonies and one misdemeanor.
Further investigation revealed the student holding the gun in the photo posted the image to Snapchat several days ago. Another student saved the photo, added the threatening language, and included the name of the person depicted in the image.
In a release about the investigation, authorities did not share the name of the student holding the weapon in the photo. An investigation into the activities of the second student who altered the photograph is still ongoing and charges are possible.
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood warned agains the misuse of social media in the office’s release, saying it’s a dangerous tool when used inappropriately.
“This was a situation where a student exhibited extremely poor judgement by posting a photo of himself holding a weapon on social media,” he said. “Another student compounded the problem by modifying that photo and generating a threat of school violence.”
Blackwood also said Rogers’ failure to properly secure the weapon in the photo led to the threat against the school, which is a misdemeanor charge. Rogers was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, felony possession of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for use, storage or sale of controlled substances.
Carrboro Police Chief Walter Horton expressed relief Thursday’s events ended safely.
“A school safety threat obviously represents a danger to the students and staff at the threatened school,” he said. “Even when the threat turns out to be a hoax, the community experiences increased anxiety, school attendance suffers, and frightened parents flood the roadways attempting to get to their children. I am pleased we were able to resolve this matter quickly.”
A magistrate placed Rogers under a $30,000 bond and set his first appearance in court for Friday afternoon.
Photo via Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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