GREENSVILLE COUNTY, Va. -- Greensville County Public Schools were closed on Friday after a serious threat was posted on social media Thursday evening.
The decision to keep the county's elementary, middle, and high schools shut was made to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Greensville County Sheriff Tim Jarratt shared that the threat was unusual compared to others his department has handled.
“We had grave concern because students were named,” Sheriff Jarratt said.
Shannon Powell, a parent with two children in Greensville County Schools, expressed her fear.
“I’m scared my kids are not going to come home safe,” she said.
Powell emphasized that any threat of violence should be taken very seriously.
She noted that this particular threat felt more alarming because it named individuals directly.
In response, schools were closed as a precaution.
Powell mentioned the impact of such threats, saying it’s hard to send children to school not knowing if they will come home safely.
She advised her sixth-grader to “pick and choose your friends wisely.”
Last year, the Greensville County Sheriff’s Office dealt with about six social media threats involving schools. They were able to identify the sources of these threats and make arrests in every case.
Parents were also held financially responsible for the costs of investigating these threats.
"[They will pay] for those resources that we expended in investigation these calls," Jarratt said.
He noted that cooperation from students played a key role in solving these cases.
The investigation into Thursday’s threat is ongoing, but the sheriff hopes students will return to school on Monday with increased security in place.
The school threat in Greensville mirrors threats being reported all across Virginia and the country following a deadly school shooting in Georgia earlier this month.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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