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'We're taking this very seriously' | Law enforcement says report, don't repost online threats

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said multiple threats were reported and named Parkland and Walkertown high schools.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Another part of keeping students safe is investigating threats online. Many of those threats are shared on social media sites like Snapchat and Facebook.

Law enforcement said we all can help, by reporting a threat instead of reposting it.

Investigators are still looking into potential threats but said if you see them, report them, don't repost. 

Viewers also shared threats with us, but we decided to report them instead of showing them.

"It can go from 30 people seeing it to 3,000 to 30,000," Kristen Daukas said.

Daukas is a social media expert and owner of Say Anything Media, she said that is how fast a post can spread online. It's also the reason why law enforcement asks people not to re-post on social media, but instead, report it to them.

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"For those folks, I would ask them to take this very seriously," Robert Bethea said.

Robert Bethea is the captain of the school resource officer division for Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. He said they received multiple threats sent to them since Saturday.

"A lot of the residents in Forsyth County have been sending us information through Snapchat and other information," Bethea said. "Our investigators are taking every threat seriously."

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said multiple threats were reported and named Parkland and Walkertown high schools. 

Credit: Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

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While they're investigating, deputies ask if anyone else has any more information to share tips with them. 

"We have lives and kids involved in this incident, so we're taking this very seriously, so don't put things on social media if it's not true," Bethea said.

Forsyth County District Attorney, Jim O’Neill, said they have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence at school.

"If people are out here making threats to others we do take that very seriously and I can promise you our full resources will be brought forth to be sure these people are held accountable," O'Neill said.

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Extra law enforcement will be at all the schools in Forsyth County for the rest of the school year.

If you have any info to share, send text/photo/video anonymously to text-a-tip at (336) 920-8477.

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