Prank at Crest Compounded by Tornado Warning, Law Enforcement Praised for Swift Response; Caller in Custody

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

CREST HIGH SCHOOL –  A potential gunman at a school or a tornado; either one would frighten students, teachers and parents alike, but for both to happen at the same time, is both scary and yet a sigh of relief, once it was discovered the incident at Crest was a false alarm.  

As the skies swirled above southwest Cleveland County, an active shooter alert sounded in the classrooms at Crest High School Monday morning, as tornado warnings blasted across personal phones inside the school.

At around 8:10 a.m., Monday, March 16, the active shooter alert sounded across Crest High School, as classrooms went into lockdown and law enforcement, ambulances and other first responders swarmed the high school.

And not much longer, parents did, too.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, immediately drove to the school once he heard the rumors’ spreading across social media. He said the traffic was backed up almost to the intersection of Old Boiling Springs and Poplar Springs Church Roads, as parents tried desperately to reach their child and law enforcement had the area blocked off for containment.

As the alleged gunman alert sounded through the school, just five minutes later the fear of a tornado possibly nearby roared across the sky.  

Meteorologist Jared Klein, of the National Weather Service said the warning issued was accurate and an investigation into damage will be conducted beginning Tuesday, but the warning was issued for either sever winds, which classify as tornadic activity whether or not it was funnel shaped.

“We did issue a tornado warning at 8:16 am that included southwestern parts of Cleveland County; this included Boiling Springs, Paterson Springs and Earl, explained Klein. “We haven’t determined yet if it did touch the ground, but we are surveying tomorrow and haven’t made an official call yet on whether or not it was a tornado or straight-lined winds.”

On social media, Crest High School teacher and recent county commissioner candidate, Laura Boggs Tharrington, posted her thankfulness and praised the professionalism and swift response by both staff and law enforcement. She praised the students for following directions.

Tharrington’s post read, in part, “…From our administration, to law enforcement, to our students and staff, everyone handled the situation exactly as they should have. It felt like law enforcement arrived the moment the lockdown alarm sounded, and at that moment I knew we were safe. They responded immediately, came in prepared, and knew exactly what to do.

Our students were absolutely amazing and did everything they were supposed to do. I'm so proud of them and so grateful for the incredible people we have at CHS…”

The Crest High official Facebook account posted a response to the incident, stating, “This morning, Crest High and Crest Middle went into lockdown after a 911 call. Law enforcement and school staff acted quickly, and we've confirmed the call was false - there was never a threat on any campus. Nearby schools, including BSES, SES, and TS3, went into a soft lockdown as a precaution. Authorities confirmed all campuses were safe. The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. Thank you for your patience and support, and a big thank you to local law enforcement for their swift response.”

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman also posted his own update on social media, confirming the call was a prank and reassuring the public everything and everyone was safe.

“Short update! All is safe at Crest High School!” Norman posted. “Now to find this dirtbag who placed the call.”

By 8:59 a.m. teachers were given the ‘clear’ to resume, after law enforcement searched and cleared the entire school.

In a press release published on social media late Monday afternoon, around 4:52 p.m., The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office offered an update on the prank caller, noting he was in custody at this time, and asked the public to contact them with any further information.

"Investigation thus far has revealed the caller was a juvenile offender. Petitions have been secured on the juvenile, and he is in custody of the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. The investigation continues to be ongoing. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office at (704) 484-4822 or Cleveland County Crime Stoppers at (704) 481-8477. Tips submitted through Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous."