At 2 PM on March 20 a 15-year-old student at Columbia High School made a threat against the school to school staff, Sheriff Darryl Liverman reported.

The school resource officer was contacted, and the student was removed from school property.

As a result of school resource officer’s investigation a juvenile petition was filed against the student for making a false report concerning mass violence on educational property.

The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff stated.

Less than a week earlier, on March 14, approximately 35 CHS students participated in a national student demonstration to protest school gun violence, Dr. Will Hoffman, superintendent, reported.

The students stood silently with interlocked arms near US Highway 64 to pay their respects for the 17 school shooting victims in Parkland, Florida.

“As Sherriff Darryl Liverman provided traffic control several students held signs denouncing school gun violence and the need to keep our community and schools safe,” the superintendent stated.

Several motorists sounded their horns as they passed by in support of the students’ 17-minute protest. There was a 17-second moment of silence before the group of middle and high school students quietly returned to class.

“We are very proud of our students for their civic participation, and for their understanding of how Tyrrell County Schools and Columbia High School connect to a national outreach for school safety,” Dr. Hoffman said.