By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
A post reportedly made on an internationally viewed social network service sent Atmore police scrambling to two local schools last Friday, December 17, to make sure the “challenge” made in the post was not carried out here.
The Chinese web service is followed by people of all ages but is particularly popular with teens and preteens. When a local woman expressed concern December 16 over the post, police and other authorities took action.
“I’ve heard there’s a TikTok challenge that’s going on which is, bring a gun to school tomorrow, or something like that,” wrote the local woman, who encouraged parents to “check your children’s backpacks, etc. before they go to school tomorrow.”
Police Chief Chuck Brooks said police, sheriff’s deputies and other lawmen made a “strong presence” at Escambia County Middle School and Escambia County High School in response to the concerns, which might or might not have been valid. “Anytime we get stuff like that, we treat it very seriously, even if it’s not a credible threat,” Brooks said. “That’s why we had a heavy presence of law enforcement at the schools.”