Two middle school students in Nashville were arrested this week in separate incidents after allegedly making violent threats against their schools, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
A 14-year-old student at John F. Kennedy Middle School was charged with false reporting and making a threat of mass violence after allegedly telling classmates he would be the next school shooter. Police say he also pointed at another student while referencing a “list.”
In a separate incident, a 13-year-old student at Wright Middle School was charged with false reporting after allegedly telling a peer he planned to bring an AK-47 to school the next day.
While no weapons were found and no one was harmed, MNPD emphasized the seriousness of such threats, warning that all statements of violence will be investigated thoroughly.
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is moving forward with enhanced security measures by implementing “Evolv” weapons detection systems at McGavock High School and Cane Ridge High School this week.
The decision follows the tragic January school shooting at Antioch High School, where Josselin “Dayana” Corea Escalante lost her life in the cafeteria. Antioch High School piloted the AI-driven detection system on students’ first day back after the incident. In February, the MNPS board voted to install these systems in all Nashville high schools to bolster security.
Unlike the security measures in place during the Antioch shooting, the Evolv system uses artificial intelligence to identify weapons as individuals enter the building. The same technology is currently used at Nissan Stadium and Bridgestone Arena.
