NEWBERRY, S.C. — Newberry Middle School was another victim of the TikTok hoax Wednesday morning when schools across South Carolina began receiving calls of active shooters on campus.
According to the report from the Newberry County Sheriff's Office, while deputies were responding to the call at Newberry Middle School, the School Resource Officer (SRO) on site and the school staff determined the call was a hoax.
Newberry Sheriff Foster says it has been determined this is a part of a state-wide and national hoax calling about school emergencies.
Blythewood High School in Richland School District Two, Burke High School in Charleston, Beaufort High School, Myrtle Beach High School, and South Middle and Brooklyn Springs Elementary schools in Lancaster also received calls about active shooters.
Currently, area law enforcement, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the FBI are investigating these incidents.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann issued a statement saying, “I have been alerted that someone has called in active shooter threats across South Carolina this morning, including at Blythewood High School. It is believed these are part of a larger hoax. If confirmed, Columbia will support prosecuting this person to the fullest extent of the law.”