Polk School District student arrested for making threat on Snapchat

CEDARTOWN, Ga. - Authorities have made an arrest following a system-wide Polk County School District lockdown on Thursday afternoon due to a threat posted on social media. 

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Polk County Superintendent Laurie Atkins posted a statement on the district’s Facebook page announcing the lockdown, after receiving notification from several students that there is a potential threat of school violence.

A district spokesperson told FOX 5 students reported they received an anonymous Snap Chat about the threat early Thursday afternoon.

Because of that threat, the district issued a Code Blue for all school, placing the schools in lockdown mode.

According to the statement, “Students will not be allowed to leave campus, and visitors will not be allowed to enter any building at this time.”

Later in the afternoon, Superintendent Atkins posted a new message on Facebook, announcing the lockdown had been lifted.

Rockmart Police Chief, Keith Sorrells tells FOX 5, an investigation led to to the arrest of Zoriah Eric McCrea, 17, a junior student at Rockmart High School.

McCrea is charged with terroristic threats and disrupting a public school. According to authorities, she will still face more pending charges. 

In her message to parents and guardians, Superintendent Atkins wrote, “Please know that we never want to place any undue stress on our Polk School District families; however, the safety and security of our students and employees is our number one priority.”

Atkins expressed her gratitude to law enforcement agencies “for responding quickly to the potential threat by dispatching multiple officers to each school.”

The district is made up of 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, the Polk County College and Career Academy, and 2 high schools.