Girl charged for Ennis H.S. shooting threat on social media
Ennis police have charged a girl with posting a photo on social media threatening violence against Ennis High School.
The threat was posted Sunday morning on Snapchat.
The picture is of a young man pointing a gun with the caption, "Be ready for school Tuesday Ennis High School."
Police say not only is this a fake threat, but the original photo was posted by two 18-year-olds in Kentucky.
In a statement, Ennis ISD police say several people saw this post on social media and reported it to law enforcement.
The original photo reads, "Be ready for school Monday Jessamine County".
Police in Kentucky say they've arrested the two men behind it, 18-year-olds Tristan Kelly and Cody Ritchey, who are charged with terroristic threat.
They are not the person who is pictured.
Here in Texas, Ennis Police say they, too, have found the person responsible for altering the photo and posting it as a threat to Ennis High School, saying, "This person is a juvenile female...She has confessed to altering and distributing the picture. She is being charged with terroristic threat."
These kinds of copycat threats have been made across the country since the Florida shooting Wednesday.
Thursday in DFW, police arrested five students for bringing guns to school, or making school threats.
Friday, six more incidents received police attention.
At a Republican fundraising dinner in Dallas Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence promised to make schools safer, noting that Texas knows this kind of heartbreak.
"It was every parents' nightmare," said Pence. "The last time my wife and I were in Texas, we were in a place called Sutherland Springs, with families of the fallen and injured in the wake of the worst shooting in a place of worship in American history. Then, as now, hearts were broken."
He went on to say, "I want to promise you -- President Trump and our entire administration are going to continue to focus with renewed focus to make sure that our schools are safe, and we are going to work to give law enforcement and local authorities the tools they need to deal with those struggling with dangerous mental illness before they bring harm to others."
In the Sunday Facebook post, Ennis Police also asked parents to take the time to discuss this incident with their kids, making sure they understand that this kind of behavior is not at all a joking matter.
All Ennis campuses will be closed Monday for Presidents Day.