Hanover, Va. – On Saturday, March 16, 2019, at approximately 7:59 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office responded to Hanover High School in reference to a social media threat. An event was in progress at the school when the threat was received. As a result of this threat, numerous deputies immediately responded to the school.
No suspicious activity was found at the school; however, investigators continued to work throughout the evening and the following day to identify the suspect who sent the threatening message.
On Sunday evening, our investigators, with the assistance of our SHIELD partners with the Clay County, Florida Sheriff’s Office, were able to identify and locate the juvenile suspect who sent the threatening message. SHIELD is a national initiative designed to enhance law enforcement and community partnerships.
The male juvenile, a resident of Orange Park, Florida, has been charged with Communicating a Written Threat.
“This crime was quickly solved due to the tireless work of our investigators and strong national partnerships. We are very thankful for the quick assistance of the Clay County, Florida Sheriff’s Office in locating the suspect. We encourage every parent to have conversations with their children regarding social media behavior and safety,” said Colonel David R. Hines, Sheriff.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office at (804) 365-6140 or the Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. Citizens can also download the “P3 Tips” app for their mobile device to submit their tip. Both Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.
